Well, at least that's what the Freedom Rangers seem to believe.
About a week ago, after still not having all of the necessary slip-ts to build the portable PVC pen for the layers, and losing some layers to a prying nocturnal predator, I moved the layers to the hoop house.
Then, I lost more layers, but not to hawks or nocturnal predators. It took me a couple of days and five chicks, but after a conversation with my guru, Hal, I figured out that the other chickens killed and ate those layers. He also uknowingly, gave me the solution to the rampant cannibalism among my flock. The chickens crave protein. The towering Freedom Rangers pecked on and then ate the little layers because they're diet lacked sufficient protein. Hal told me about wheat germ and that he started using it almost as a substitute for the pricier fish meal. Wheat germ has the added benefit of being procured locally.
I started feeding it that very afternoon and sure enough, no more cannibalism. The Freedom Rangers now recognize me and come running every time I feed them. It is their crack. But if wheat germ is their crack, then Bluegill guts,skin,and heads are their cocaine.
My landlord kindly left a bucket of unwanted Bluegill remains for me to feed to the chickens. I dumped them out in a row outside the hoop house for them to eat. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm came up not long after and one Barred Rock did get pecked on quite badly so I brought her home. Yet, after the storm passed and I went to fix the fence posts, I could not walk without tripping over Freedom Rangers. They swarmed around my legs in hope that I would rain down more protein to them. Either I am a revered character in their eyes or a meaty treat they just haven't quite figured out how to eat yet.
About a week ago, after still not having all of the necessary slip-ts to build the portable PVC pen for the layers, and losing some layers to a prying nocturnal predator, I moved the layers to the hoop house.
Then, I lost more layers, but not to hawks or nocturnal predators. It took me a couple of days and five chicks, but after a conversation with my guru, Hal, I figured out that the other chickens killed and ate those layers. He also uknowingly, gave me the solution to the rampant cannibalism among my flock. The chickens crave protein. The towering Freedom Rangers pecked on and then ate the little layers because they're diet lacked sufficient protein. Hal told me about wheat germ and that he started using it almost as a substitute for the pricier fish meal. Wheat germ has the added benefit of being procured locally.
I started feeding it that very afternoon and sure enough, no more cannibalism. The Freedom Rangers now recognize me and come running every time I feed them. It is their crack. But if wheat germ is their crack, then Bluegill guts,skin,and heads are their cocaine.
My landlord kindly left a bucket of unwanted Bluegill remains for me to feed to the chickens. I dumped them out in a row outside the hoop house for them to eat. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm came up not long after and one Barred Rock did get pecked on quite badly so I brought her home. Yet, after the storm passed and I went to fix the fence posts, I could not walk without tripping over Freedom Rangers. They swarmed around my legs in hope that I would rain down more protein to them. Either I am a revered character in their eyes or a meaty treat they just haven't quite figured out how to eat yet.
