From lflondon@mindspring.com Sat Apr 29 10:23:28 2000 Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 11:45:48 -0400 From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." To: london@metalab.unc.edu Subject: (fwd) Re: Anybody got info on hormones...? On Fri, 28 Apr 2000 11:3:59, in market-farming "Ava Devenport" wrote: Dear Joseph: I have never personally raised chickens, but my mamau did. Her chickens were always extremely healthy and good producers. The main thing she said to always do was let the chickens have free range, where they can get sunshine and fresh air. Scratching and picking the earth enabled them to obtain and absorb their nutrients better. She also would place a pile of wood ashes in the chicken yard, they would use it as a 'dust bath' and it kept them free of lice. She never fed them hormones but she did plant an herb called Shepherd's Purse as a tonic for the chickens. It's an excellant calcium supplement, very important for egg production and also the health of the chicken, as they use the calcium within their own bodies to develope the egg shell. It also builds bone mass as well as correcting fluid balance within the chickens body. They eat the flowering tops of the herb. Mamau also maintained an area of fresh water, a pile of small gravel and grit (for their digestion) and she cleaned and crushed all of her egg shells to mix in with the grit, adding to their calcium levels. Grandad said "a good, cocky rooster" was one of the most important elements in getting those chickens to produce more eggs, and you have to keep taking the eggs already laid away on a very regular basis. Personally, I always pay the extra cost of good farm fresh, free-range, hormone free eggs. Not a better egg in this world! Blessings, Ava Lawrence F. London, Jr. Venaura Farm ICQ#27930345 lflondon@mindspring.com london@metalab.unc.edu metalab.unc.edu/intergarden InterGarden metalab.unc.edu/permaculture PermaSphere metalab.unc.edu/intergarden/orgfarm AGINFO