Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[Arielle]

I can't believe that Slim will be 8 weeks old on Tuesday! Time to dc the bottle feeding soon. The lady came and picked up her two bottle babies today, so their mamas are out there yelling. Bunny is turning out to be a good milker, too bad my hands cramp up when I have to milk. I used to have strong hands, but since the carpal tunnel surgeries, not so much. I want to go to the sale at R&J tomorrow , but I can't see myself getting up early and loading all that . I rested today, hoping to give my back a break. Just did some laundry and chores, plus carted some buckets of sand to mucky runs. Well, I thought I rested. I did watch a movie. It was.raining anyway.

Deb, You do so much, I can't fathom trying to keep up with you! No wonder your back protests. Will you keep up with milking Bunny, using the milk yourself?

Lambed died at about 20 hours old. Never stood up. This is the second lamb this year. What am I missing? I'm wondering if the grain formulation changed. GUess I need to contact the feed company. I usually only get someone who can take orders, and barely that.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Do you add minerals to their feed? Sorry about the loss of the babies, I know that hurts. Did you check their mouths for cleft palate? I am considering selling Bunny, I hate that the other goats beat her up. I generally freeze extra goat milk so I have it for bottle babies. Last year I put Bunny and one other goat in a separate pasture but then it is more work feeding.

 

[202roosterlane]

I think I pulled a "Deb" today. 81/2 hours out in the yard and back hurts, feet hurt, hurts to type LOL but I am so please with my yard. Fought the last of the oaks leaves so the grass will come in and have a fighting chance. Now it's time for Motrin and a shower just so I am clean enough to get into a long hot bath. Hope you guys had an awesome, pretty day too!

 

[Arielle]

I feed the girls grain all year round, so they get the micronutrients provided in the commercial mix. I've never had a problem with Se deficiency or the other one, magnesium, I think. Very odd. Lamb was too weak to lift it's head so I had included an energy-vit/min supplement for babies. Just too much of a co-incidence to have two very similar losses.

What do you add for mineral supplements?


I think BUnny would make a wonderful pet for someone with just one or two goats. I keep my sweet favorite hen with the chicks because the other hens beat her up. Which is the reason she was originally rehomed with us. Now I keep her on nanny duty!

Next batch of chicks due in 21 days!!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I feed a mineral blend sold for goats by Co-op. I am not sure if you could use it, if it has copper or not. I will have to check the label. I feed grain, but feeding minerals as well helps with a number of different problems. I also feed minerals to my chickens. Our soil is low in Selenium.
Yes, Bunny would make a great pet. I told DH I would sell half the goat herd. I am never going to get my back improved the way things are going. Tried to rest it up today, soaked in the tub and put hot packs on it. It is dreary dealing with it every day. Cleaned out the chick aquariums in the garage, moved most of them outside into a brooder. Then a whole bunch more hatched, so here we go again! I didn't go to the chicken sale in Jackson, I wanted to but the body is weak. I will be going to the auction in Scotts Hill next weekend. I think I will be selling my Buckeyes. They are not producing very well. I need to cut back.

 

[Chicken Coach]

We lost a baby goat today she was somehow born under a gate and stuck there.It was a female out of our best milker ,but her baby buck was ok.This all happened in middle of the day and i didn't even know she was there.Latter that day we went to a chicken sale in OK 2 hours away and i got 5 swedish flower hens for a small fortune .I got some chicks this week and a dozen eggs,So i went from having none to getting a bunch.I'm getting to the point of being overrun with chicks,but i'm trying to raise them up and cull a bunch.I did get another big coop framed up,all i need know is 3 more.I did save up a bunch of free lumber and sheet metal so it's not costing a bunch.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Sorry about the baby, Coach. I had one born under the gate and I found him in time to warm him back up and give him to his ma. I was lucky there.

 

[Arielle]

Deb--I will look into the mineral supplement. I feed grain, so I would have thought it was formulated for our low Se area. I do feed extra Vit E and Se to the horses. DO chickens need extra Se? Copper is a problem for the sheep an I Would have thought goats too, Not so??

Coach--A challenge to build with free lumber but so worth the price.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Goats can handle some copper, I did read the label, not for sheep.i figure they put a bare minimum of minerals in feed so I supplement with a light top dressing on each bucket of feed for goats or chickens.

 

[Arielle]

I also think grains are formulated to the minimum, not the optimum. I Need to find a good supplement.

Still waiting for the last 4 ewes to lamb. All the mothers with lambs have been moved to another area, out of the lambing barn.

I filled my LG for the first time since last fall. ANd the most number of eggs. Cracked one-- a dent really. Put tape on it and have been praying. Temp held for several days, but now that eggs are in, the temps are running low after 26 hours. I'm sure I will get up a few times to night to check on it. I usually half fill a notebook with all the details.Keeps me focused.

DH doesn't want me to hatch more--these I would like to sell as chicks. Marans, EE and BO. Pretty eggs.