Zen Hens

Too Hot in Tucson Tonight

Cathy Blough — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:08:18 +0000

At 111, would you want to be walking around outside with a down coat on?

Why Chicken Poop?

Cathy Blough — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:12:56 +0000

As most good composters know, manure can be one of the best ingredients in making “black gold.” Manures provide the nitrogen (N) component of the composting process commonly thought of in terms of the “green/brown” or nitrogen/carbon combination.
Living organisms all contain nitrogen. Fresh, undiluted manures are considered “hot.” Hot means the level of Nitrogen in the form of ammonium available to be released into the atmosphere. As manures age, the rate of nitrogen release decreases. The caveat of using fresh, undiluted manure as fertilizer is the potential for burning plants. Chicken and sheep manure in particular is considered the hottest. That’s why putting fresh manure on plants can burn the leaves and kill the plant.
On its own manures provide the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) that make up fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer such as “Miracle Grow,” a synthetic fertilizer, releases ammonium and nitrates quickly into the soil and also leach heavily and quickly out of the soil. It adds very little to the long term health of the soil. Composted manures work slowly to release nitrogen, which contributes to healthy vegetative growth, phosphorus which contributes to healthy roots and potassium contributing to the formation of cholorphyll. The soil-binding properties of compost come from the humus content. Humus is a stable residue resulting from a high degree of organic matter decomposition.
So back to the QUESTION…Why chicken poop?
If you have chickens you have fabulous friends, conversationalists and breakfast makers. Chickens produce manure rich in nitrogen and is easily composted with other material to produce a fabulous humus. Chicken manure is the richest in the NPK structure. Chicken manure with bedding provides 2.8% nitrogen, 2.3% phosphorus and 1.7% potassium while horse manure is 0.7%, 0.2% and 0.7 respectively. The amount of unwanted seeds etc. is also less of a threat in chicken manure. In the first year only about 30-50% of the organic nitrogen is available and gradually decreases to 25% the second year. The benefit of the chicken manure is its high release of nitrogen into the soil the first year and higher levels of phosphorus and potassium in the first year as well.
Most chicken flock owners use some form of bedding for their coops and nesting boxes. This bedding, straw, wood shavings or saw dust, adds a certain amount of carbon to the nitrogen of the pure manure. It also is the beginning of what can be quick and hot composting of other materials. With the addition of other material in the compost and the hotness of the chicken manure, the process can help to kill weed seeds and decrease the risk of unsavory pathogens contaminating food plants.
Chickens fed a balanced and nutritious diet will produce healthy and tasty eggs as well as a healthy and tasty (to microorganisms) manure, about a cubic per chicken per year. Composted and added to the garden or made into compost tea, it makes the world a better place.

What’s in their Food?

Cathy Blough — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:42:53 +0000

Lots of people use “conventional” chicken feed and birdseed for their flocks. There’s absolutely a cost reason for using the conventional feed, cost. Locally, buying organic feed is usually $7 to $10 more. Some flock owners try to reduce the amount of chicken feed by supplementing with greens and table scraps. A good idea and a treat for chickens a few times a week, but too much reduces the likelihood of them eating the balanced food created in their prepared feed.

Why is eating their prepared feed important? When the chickens are confined, they have less ability to choose what they can eat. Their own natural food selection process changes. They eat out of boredom, and are don’t have to “forage” for dinner. A bit like going to McDonalds instead of the grocery store and buying your ingredients to make dinner.

Variety is also important. A flat of wheatgrass is a tasty treat if they don’t have access to grass, a head of lettuce on a string makes it a bit more challenging to eat and reduces the “gulping” that sometimes happens. Throwing the pellets, crumbles, mash or scratch around the their yard makes them “hunt and peck!” This also makes them eat the grit the helps their digestion. Having a chicken who is “crop bound” is NO fun! Chickens are not vegetarians, but omnivores! They love a good worm or bug. They have incredible vision and can chase down a fly or grasshopper faster than a “Chicken on a June bug!”

So next time you buy food, remember to look at the ingredients. Additives you may not want are genetically modified grains, most often corn and soybeans, and protein additives like poultry meal (PM), and hydrolyzed feather meal. Organic foods use different ingredients to muscle up the protein content of the feed. You can also buy organic feed with or without soy. Important if you are eating your eggs or giving them to someone who may not be able or want to eat soy.

Next thought…making your own feed

The Winter Break is Over

Cathy Blough — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:01:34 +0000

The days are getting longer and the egg count is going up…slowly.

New meaning to you are what they eat…

Cathy Blough — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:39:22 +0000

The loss of feathers when the molt is on cause the girls to eat feathers lying around the house. What to do to provide more protein? I gave them some smoked salmon, high protein, rich in oils. Eating a hard cooked egg the next day I detected the faint smell of smoked salmon.

Probably better in a quiche!

Pillow fight!!!!!!!

Cathy Blough — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 03:52:19 +0000

Piles of feathers everywhere, fewer eggs, but happy hens. Extra protein provided from Keifer with a splash of soy milk!

Blog Post 2

Cathy Blough — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:13:27 +0000