The Blog Barn

Choosing grit for your chooks

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 29, 2016 - By Suki

 Limestone grit is often used as a substitute for or in addition to oyster shells for laying hens. It is not quite so palatable as oyster shells to chickens, & so does not give as satisfactory an egg production. But if you are going to insist on...

Photo by: Grand Lagoon Waterfront Farmers' Market Welcome back to the LocalHarvest newsletter. Unlike the calm blue water lapping at its Floridian shores, the latest series in the Tampa Bay Times is making some giant waves. The " Farm...

Apple Scab

Walkto Farms Weekly   -   Apr 28, 2016 - By Gil

This year was the first year in my 35 year history to have NO apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). This fungus affects apples as a skin blemish and reduces crop by as much as 50%. The scab has 2 parts to it's infection-one:the overwintering leaves on the...

Fish meal for chickens

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 27, 2016 - By Suki

Fish meal is the clean, dried, ground tissue of undercomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, sometimes both,  with or without the extraction of part of the oil, and containing not more than 3 per cent salt.  Some salt is beneficial to chooks, but after...

Bone meal as grit

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 27, 2016 - By Suki

Bone meal consists mainly of calcium phosphate (Ca3P04). It varies in composition, depending on method of manufacture. Poultry bone meal, sometimes called raw bone meal or steamed bone meal, consists of bones which have been thoroughly cooked, dried, and...

Puffins from Bing

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 26, 2016 - By Suki

Not a domesticated bird by any means, but one of my all time favorites.  They are only in the Northern Hemisphere just like Penguins are only in the Southern.  I think we got the better deal.tlantic puffins have penguin-like coloring but they sport a...

White leghorn cockbird

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 26, 2016 - By Suki

When I was at the Northeastern Congress Poultry show in Springfield Massachusetts back in January I took a lot of pictures.  At the time I posted some but most I did not.  This white leghorn male was one that caught my eye.  I was taken aback by...

Khaki Polish Tolbunt

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 26, 2016 - By Suki

I love the colour.  I was surprised to learn that it is khaki, I thought it was porcelain.  Well, anyways, I'm thinking of bringing that colour over to Ameraucanas, sans the crest of course. There are several problems in doing this: ...

Duck Love from the WSJ

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 25, 2016 - By Suki

From the New York based, Wall Street Journa l...it's Pascha (May 1st) and so its time for ducks.

Chicken themes for your desktop

Greenleaf Farms   -   Apr 25, 2016 - By Suki

Ok, these set of themes is for Windows only , but otoh, there are some adorable chickens with hats.  Interested?  Go here. Now, if you are not familiar with the Tumblr site, Chickens with hats, it is still around but pretty much defunct. ...