Yeah, we got our chickens originally for leftovers. We don't have a garbage disposal, or garbage pickup, and the food in the cans really stank (and would probably have attracted pests). Composting is too much work, plus stuff like meat and fat isn't supposed to go in compost bins.
On a farm once I saw a little indoor enclosure where the farmer had 4 hens, in a little aviary about the size of a sheet of plywood (basically he wired off one side of a shed). On the floor were "horse pellets" ... basically sawdust pellets. He said he cleaned it out once a year or so. There was no smell, no flies, no noise, and the chickens were happy. They basically are very territorial jungle birds, and don't like open spaces much. When mine were loose they lived under the bushes or the cars mainly, and perched high at night.
Anyway, they LOVE your leftover weeds and food. I used to be very careful about what I gave them: they got the good stuff, and things like onion peels or moldy junk went into a compost bin. Until I saw them practically living in the compost bin ... one website said to just give the chooks everything, and what they don't eat they will keep scratching at so the bottom of their pen ends up being a compost heap. So I give them everything, including fish and animal bones. Unless it is really moldy and stinky, but I'm getting better about tossing stuff before it gets to that stage. Also I feed them in the morning, so it's all eaten up by night (so as not to attract rats).
The floor of their pen ends up being a kind of fluffy sawdusty mass, which goes into my "grow buckets" to make really wonderful plants. See:
Anyway, depending on zoning rules, "urban chickens" are coming back. They are way less mess and noise and smell than a dog. Cheap too: chicks are generally less than $5. If you hand-raise them, they are tame, like a parrot. Some breeds (like those blue-egg-laying Araucanas) are also really smart.
Ours used to run around a fenced yard, but some critters came and ate about half of them so now they are in a pen. We are building them a larger and stronger one, but they seem quite happy there. And actually, they don't get out even though they could if they wanted. I think they sense the presence of said critters (bobcat, couger, and racoons). They like eating grass sometimes (so giving them weeds is good) but mostly they like scratching in loose dirt, so I've given up on the idea of "chicken tractoring" them and am working on a coop that mimics being in a forest (ability to perch high, access to sun and shade, plenty of airflow). The quality of the eggs is great, actually better than before I think, maybe because they are getting more leftovers.
BTW, in terms of Fast-5 ... having a little garden and a few chickens is a great way to get your exercise! It really forces you to get off your duff at least once or twice a day. Also you get really GOOD food: there is nothing like homegrown eggs and vegies. Urban gardening is all the rage anyway, and it doesn't take a huge amount of space. See:
The "self watering planters" (which really should be called sub-irrigation systems) make container gardening WORK. My plants right now are huge ... even though we have acreage, my plants are all in plastic buckets, and I've got more produce than my gardening neighbors, in a rather small space. In the past our container garden was rather pathetic and I had given up on the idea, even with our good fertilizer.
My exercise this morning was making 2 more buckets, and adding ropes so the beans and tomatoes, which are like 7 feet high right now, can move horizontally to make a "roof", because they can't go up any more (or if they do, I can't reach them).
On Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 7:44 AM, foxchyck <foxeye@jungle-fire.com > wrote:
They do?! Eat leftovers, that is? Are there any types of food that they won't/shouldn't eat?
I had no idea chickens were like mini-pigs...what a fascinating notion. I'll definitely have to get myself a chicken or two once I can get out of urbania. Maybe find the kind that give you pretty blue eggs. ^_^
--- In fast5@yahoogroups.com , Heather Twist <HeatherTwist@...> wrote:
>
> You can get a pet chicken. Chickens will happily eat your leftovers and give
> you eggs in return. And they don't get fat, at least not that I've noticed.
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 11:55 PM, Lesley Taylor
> <lesleytaylor6112@...>wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Oh yes, the las 2 hours seem to drag a bit. I found that by moving my
> > window forward to 4pm its much easier. 4-9 seems to suit me better as I am
> > never really that hungry after 9 anyay. Sometimes I just hang on till 4.30
> > and adjust my end time accordingly.
> >
> > The real tough challenge for me is the week-end when everyone is eating
> > bacon and eggs for breakfast. - The dog will get 2 long walks this weekend.
> > The dog (Mollie) is now looking very much like an airbus with legs!
> >
> > Since I started this diet she is now getting all the food that would
> > normally have entered my digestive system! I have had to start throwing
> > scraps away instead of feeding the dog......which leads me to another thing
> > that I need to work on. "Throwing food away" - I find it so difficult, and
> > no my mother did not tell me about the starving children in Africa, and I
> > was never forced to eat anything I did not want. I just find it so hard to
> > throw away good food that is still edible. I keep practicing though, tears
> > rolling down my face when the food hits the bottom of the bin.......I am
> > sure it will get easier....everything else is.
> >
> > --------------------- ---------
> > *From:* tamaratornado <tamaratornado@...>
> > *To:* fast5@yahoogroups.com
> > *Sent:* Tue, July 27, 2010 11:19:26 PM
> > *Subject:* [fast5] Re: Abstinence Rules !
> >
> >
> >
> > Yay for you!
> >
> > I was able to skip a whole day yesterday with no food, and it was easy. But
> > today was I hungry, looking at the clock, is it time to eat yet? I started
> > eating a bit early, around 3:30. I ate a little more than normal, but not
> > overstuffed.
> >
> > Tomorrow I will eat dinner with my friend.
> >
> > --- In fast5@yahoogroups.com <fast5%40yahoogroups.com >, "teresagreener61"
> > <lesleytaylor6112@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Oh I am a very happy bunny!! Cut out my evening fruit fest 4 days ago and
> > already lost 2 pouns. Or it could be that the diet is actually starting to
> > take effect (like you all told me it would but I didnt believe you).
> > >
> > > The most remarkable thing I am noticing (which I am really happy about)
> > is the feeling of being in "CONTROL". I have dieted on and off for 28 years
> > which inevitably led to a loss of normal eating habits. I would continually
> > pick at foods all day, overeat at all meals and generally cram food into my
> > mouth at any opportunity.
> > >
> > > I love this total abstinence during the day. Not having to worry about
> > what I need to eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks and more snacks. Most
> > addictions rely on the addict totally giving up their vice like smoking,
> > drugs, alcohol. We cant do that with food but I reckon this is the next best
> > thing.
> > >
> > > When I do eat it is more controlled, calm and enjoyable. I proably still
> > overeat just that bit too far past fullness but I am taking things slowly. I
> > am sure "stopping when full" is just another thing to look forward too.
> > >
> > > Good times !!
> > >
> > > Lesley
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
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