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Parrothead

Resources for Chicken Farming

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Parrothead

I have been doing some extensive research online, trying to learn everything I can about chicks, hens and roosters. 
 
Members here, as well as on other sites, have offered some good information, links, and other data to help me out. I will start listing some of that in this thread, for those interested. This list will be a rolling list. I will add additional useful resources, as I find them. 
 
Online Forums / Groups:

Chicken Forum / Site
Backyard Chickens Forum / Site
 
 
Informational eBooks:
 
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Improving Village Chicken Production Part 1 (PDF)
Improving Village Chicken Production Part 2 (PDF)
Improving Village Chicken Production Part 3 (PDF)
Improving Village Chicken Production Part 4 (PDF)
 
The Chicken Health Handbook (PDF)
Small Scale Chicken Production (PDF)
The Joy of Keeping Chickens (PDF)
Choosing and Keeping Chickens (PDF)
Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens (PDF)

Water Requirements for Poultry (PDF)

 

Chicken Coop / Brooder / Tractor Plans:

Laying Nests (PDF)
Chicken Tractor (PDF)
300 Hen Laying House (Part 1) (PDF)
300 Hen Laying House (Part 2) (PDF)
 
 

Anatomy / Incubation Period Images:

Chicken Anatomy (RAR) - 5 files
Chicken Incubation / Gestation Period Calendar (Image) 
 
 

Medical Information:

Wry Neck Chickens - Image results for comparison
 
 
All files are hosted on a cloud account. But, I have them stored locally as well.
If, for any reason, you are unable to download any of the above listed files, please click the "Report" button under this post, and let me know which file(s) you are having problems with.

Edited by Paul
Added Resources
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jimmyboy

Moringa is a hardy and drought resistant tree with leaves containing 8% protein. Makes great stock feed.

Chickens love it, and it is a significant oil producer too.

http://www.ilovemoringa.com/

 

http://www.unitedcaribbean.com/moringa-fodder.html

 

3 months to harvesting, 8 months to seed and perennial!

 

other on farm food production discused here: http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/742018/what-do-you-grow-to-feed-the-chickens/10

 

mulberries and papya are also great chicken food. The pigments ( carotenoids ) are good for health and produce a real orange egg so rarely seen.

 

a low voltage light (LED) over water will also yield surprising amounts of insects for food at a negligible cost. ( works for fish ponds too. the insects fly into the water and cant escape.

 

Small scale chicken production in africa has been one of the most successful micro business intiatives ever undertaken by UN FAO.

Numerous africans have become very prosperous from this business.

Edited by jimmyboy
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Parrothead

Added a great image showing the daily development of a chick inside its shell.

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JohnOBohn

Moringa IS one of the best all around vegetation you can raise.     you can actually eat the entire plant including the roots (a bit like horseradish).    Just bget cutting about a meter long.   stick it into the fround about half way.   water.   soon you will have leaves you can harvest.   

   Planted about half meter apart they will grow to form a fence nothing will go thru.     When they reach whatever height you want, just trim the tops and keep on trimming them.    

    You have an edible highly butritious fence/food source litterally forever.

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jimmyboy

pigeon peas- the dhal of india- a perennial that is drought resistant are great food for people and stock. they are also a nitrogen fixing legume.

many tropical forage systems for poulrtry ar being elucidated in the permaculture bogosphere/fora.

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Parrothead

I forget what this is called. I will look it up. But, someone said it was good to feed the chickens.

 

Duckweed. The small, light-green stuff growing in the water.

 

IMG_0741r.jpg

Edited by Paul

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Parrothead

Moringa IS one of the best all around vegetation you can raise.     you can actually eat the entire plant including the roots (a bit like horseradish).    Just bget cutting about a meter long.   stick it into the fround about half way.   water.   soon you will have leaves you can harvest.   

   Planted about half meter apart they will grow to form a fence nothing will go thru.     When they reach whatever height you want, just trim the tops and keep on trimming them.    

    You have an edible highly butritious fence/food source litterally forever.

 

We have one of these trees? growing at the farm. It's just a small thing at the moment. But, I have seen one down the road from the farm, that was HUGE. If this is the same thing, anyway. I took a photo of it, if i can find it - still don't have my computer back yet. 

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Parrothead

Added another resource / forum I just found: www.chickenforum.com

For as many members as there are on BYC, that forum doesn't seem quite as friendly, and certainly not as active in replying to needs.

I hope CF is better at doing so.

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