Last year I walked through the corn fields after the corn was combined and picked up over twenty, five-gallon buckets full of ear corn that was left in the field. It would have just rotted away, so I figured I'd feed it to my chickens. That pile of corn lasted most of the winter, and I was able to cut my chicken feed bill in half! I didn't get near as much this year...I guess that's a good thing, because it means that there was less waste from the combine...but it will be less for my chickens as well.
Jim helped this afternoon...
These adorable neighbor boys helped. They were so excited whenever they found an ear of corn...
Murphy and Snickers
And we got a few buckets of corn...
We picked up around six buckets full today, and I had picked up four or five more a few days ago, so my pile is much smaller this year than last. I waited a little too long to start, so some of the fields that I was planning to glean are now covered in manure from when Jim was cleaning out pens, and made slim pickings. I might head out tomorrow morning if the rain holds off to see what more I can find.
I'm also doing something different with my chickens this winter...
I have thirty chickens, and am lucky to get ten or eleven eggs per day right now. There are several reasons for this...
...the days are getting shorter, and chickens need more daylight to lay regularly. We don't have a light in their shed, so they sleep longer and as a result eat less, and lay fewer eggs.
...they're molting, which is a natural way for their bodies to take a rest from laying.
...the egg shells are also getting thin, which is a sign of an aging chicken. (They have oyster shells in their feed, which should help some, but it's not enough)
In order to pay for their 100 lb. bag of feed ($26.?? per bag) which they were
I'm planning to keep my ten Barred Rocks over the winter so that I have enough eggs for myself, and then start fresh in late winter/early spring with new pullets.
I want to try ducks. I hear they are more consistant layers. I love the idea of picking up the corn. My parents put the range cows in the cornfield for the winter. This year so much corn blew down, they had to limit the cows to one hour a day so they wouldn't overeat. Nothing is ever simple. Good luck with the chickens.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I wonder what duck eggs taste like? And yes, I can imagine the cows loving all that corn. And overeating! Nope, it's never simple!
ReplyDeleteGood job Alica, on saving all the corn cobs for your chicken. Those little boy are just adorable.
ReplyDeleteI've been cleaning flower gardens of dead foliage and debris and today I was cutting the top of an overgrown and neglected hedge before the snows fly. I wanted to cut my lawn one last time but I couldn't start the lawn mower because I think that I flooded it so instead I tackled the spruce hedge.
Sorry about the trouble with the chickens.
JB
Just making sure we have lots of wood chopped and stacked by the back kitchen door . We don't have any farm animals all though I would love to get back into hobby farming , I was raised on a hobby farm living off of our land and livestock but it just isn't in the cards right now for us . Good luck with the chickens hope all turns out well ! Have a good evening !
ReplyDeleteWell that is a good idea. I am not getting any eggs most days. My flock didn't survive our hot summer. In fact I am down to 11 hens. All of them have been molting but are almost have all of the bald spots covered.
ReplyDeleteI love that you got so much corn. I think though I need to get new laying hens in the spring. Well, maybe but with the wedding coming in May I don't know if I will get chicks this next year. I do miss my eggs though. Store bought eggs stink.
That is amazing that your corn you gleaned from last year got you through as far as it did.
I love to talk about chickens, can you tell. :)
Oh Barred Rock are my very favourite, I love them. What a great way to save money and looks like fun too.
ReplyDeleteI would buy your eggs I buy them in the store and miss fresh eggs. B
They're great layers but my barreds are meaner than snot! They like to chase my Austrolorps around the yard.
DeleteHi Alica, last week I drove up Rt 896 to Rt 30. Beautiful drive through nice farm country on 896. Are your farms somewhere near there?
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DeleteGeorge, if you were on 896 heading north towards route 30, you drove directly past "the other farm", just after you passed "The Amish Village" (one mile south of rt 30). Our farm, where we live, is one mile west of the outlets...you probably drove right past our house if you took the road behind the outlets in your travels! :)
DeleteAlica, that is really neat. I would love to come by some time when I am in the area and have you introduce me to the cows and chickens. Maybe I could bring some of the plant giveaway stuff in the spring. Have never made a road trip to a bloggers real place before!!
DeleteWhat a great way to use it up and anything to save on some pennies ;o) Still way to warm out here in the west.
ReplyDeleteHi Alicia, I’m Anne from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com), and I’m visiting from Farmgirl Friday.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and just added myself as a follower! Great idea to walk thru the fields to pick up the "wasted" corn. Great that you got to make such good use of it!
Anyway, thanks for posting this. If you’ve never visited yet, I hope you can pop by my blog sometime to say hi…
Howdy, about your thin shelled eggs. I too give my hens oyster shells but a few still lay thin eggs. To correct it I feed my flock sour milk, buttermilk, yogurt or old cheese. The really enjoy the milk best. Great way to use up old milk around the farm. I feed about once a week and the shells improve. Good Luck
ReplyDeleteI'm getting ready~still struggling to keep that stinking cattle tank thawed out. I do have the cows out on my cornfield, so they're taking care of all that missed by the combine.
ReplyDeleteGood job gleaning the corn for the chickens! That is a good idea selling the older hens to people who will appreciate them too. I read recently that too many kitchen/garden scraps keep the chickens from eating their layer feed and so they don't get that much of the oyster shell from their feed. My girls have been having thinner shells too but all the garden goodies are done so maybe they will start eating their layer feed better.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of the boys helping pick up corn, very cute! :)
Hey Alica, this is Ann Palmer..We stole your idea and when the combine was finished going through our field Alexys and I headed out with buckets to collect the missed ones :) We too want to thin our flock out for almost the same exact reasons, thin shells and not many eggs....Can you give me the information for the refugees you sell your chickens to or maybe you know of some others in the area that would like them. Our sheep Teddy kicks up his heels when it snows and looks like a kid jumping and running in the snow, animals are such funny critters!
ReplyDeleteAnn...give me a call and I'll see if I can hook you up with the refugees. My cousin organizes it. I don't think I have your number!
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