Recent content by FossilRokRanch

  1. FossilRokRanch

    How are Border Collies for pets and living with chickens

    Too bad I found this thread so late. Looks like you had your hearts set on a BC. Congrats. We were once set on a BC, until we learned of English Shepards (aka Farm Collies). Glad we did. Best all round dog we've ever had. We got out chicks when she was turning 3. She has doted over the chicks...
  2. FossilRokRanch

    dumor vs. layena vs. nutrena rations: Which do you prefer?

    Thanks again. My gurls have free range of the yard, garden and woods (which they love as leaf litter scratching yield mega amounts of bugs). Until winter, they aren't short for extra protein. Coupled with shrimp waste once a week, they are living the high life. Hmm, do I throw Blue Seal into...
  3. FossilRokRanch

    dumor vs. layena vs. nutrena rations: Which do you prefer?

    I guess im going to use Dumor again. Too many posts of going thru nutrena too fast (but they do like it alot). FYI@ 33yardbirds - the tag I have for Dumor has manganous oxide in the ingredients, just like Nutrena, so its in there. Might be a regional thing depending on whose making the feed?
  4. FossilRokRanch

    dumor vs. layena vs. nutrena rations: Which do you prefer?

    Maybe this post should be called "How long is a piece of string?" :LOL: I have access to all three brands, and used Dumor except for the last 50#s which was Nutrena. The ate the Nutrena fast, but they are 16 weeks old now and growing like weeds, so that may explain things. Hopefully this will...
  5. FossilRokRanch

    giving scratch grains to 11 wk pullets

    I've got 22 RSL pullets. I give cast about a cup a day on the litter in the coop each evening for 2 reasons: to get them to clamour into the coop for the night and to get them to stir up the deep litter. Question is, is a cup or so too much for them?
  6. FossilRokRanch

    Organic eggs? questions

    Local small-scale farmers around here who can't afford the cert fees are using other words to get around the cert thing, like "Organik" or "ER-GAN-NUK" Or how about this: Selling Farm-fresh "I'd lie to call these eggs ORGANIC if it wasn't for the fuggin' thousands of dollars I'd have to pay...
  7. FossilRokRanch

    Proud owner of 22 RSL pullet chicks

    4 sq.ft. per bird??? I read 2-3 feet. Hmmm...best to axe the ones not up to snuff, I guess, as I'm committed to the size of the coop. The pen is large enough, and I prolly could chop its size down and save wire. I plan on letting them out to "range" on most days, so that should help quite a...
  8. FossilRokRanch

    Proud owner of 22 RSL pullet chicks

    Does anyone think the coop is too small? Its 64 sq.ft., minus laying boxes and feeder/waterer space. Total of 22 birds, with an assumption of a 10% culling/die off. My father-in-law things it should be larger. I didn't think RSL were a "large" hen to begin with, and aren't they usually just...
  9. FossilRokRanch

    Proud owner of 22 RSL pullet chicks

    We're happy. Got ours from Gies (pronounced "geese") Pasture Hatchery in Ft. Plain, NY. I had nothing but great interaction from them. Picked them up on hatching day. They are all Red Sex-Link pullets. Bought 20, got 22. Nice. All are alive after a week, and are quite strong. Used...
  10. FossilRokRanch

    Simple Q's: Moving the tractor?

    Thanks all. Just as I was afraid of. "Yes, Virginia. Chickens really are pretty stoopid." I'm leaning towards the "pen" now. Thanks for scaring me out of the tractor idea, Jaku. I don't have time to do anything 2-3 times a day! And I don't want to crush a bird. Not because I'd be sad...
  11. FossilRokRanch

    Simple Q's: Moving the tractor?

    Oh, and is it wrong to name one's birds for food? Like "Popcorn", "Parm" or "Francaise"? My wife thinks I'm a sick man, but naming them something other than what you intend to actually do to them seems sicker. I mean, who wants to eat a simmering plate of Chicken Sally or Fried Betty?
  12. FossilRokRanch

    Simple Q's: Moving the tractor?

    Thanks to this forum, our 2009 layer project went awesome! Gotta love fresh, warmed by a butt, eggs! Our 2010 project? Meaties! Building a tractor or 2 (I think). Planning on 50+ birds. 4'x10', wheels, ball hitch, and predator skirts (we have bear, bobs, coys, fisher (lots!), martens...
  13. FossilRokRanch

    Newbie Q's: Am I selecting the right breeds to raise?

    Thanks all, we just ordered my chicks today, and feel pretty good. We ordered 20 cornish rock X's for meat. If all goes well with them, we'll order 20 more in late May. We also ordered 10 Black Austra's, and 10 Wynadottes, of which 5 are Silver-lace (its a NY thing, ) and 5 Golden-lace (to...
  14. FossilRokRanch

    Newbie Q's: Am I selecting the right breeds to raise?

    Quote: Thank you! Thank You! THANK YOU!!!! That quiz sinched it. 10 Black Australorps, 10 Wyandottes (5 silver, 5 gold).
  15. FossilRokRanch

    Newbie Q's: Am I selecting the right breeds to raise?

    Hmmm... Spoke with a fellow today that said, "RI Reds, or N.H. Red, all the reds end up being bullies". Yeah, they make great egg layers, but we can get similar results from friendlier birds. Now leaning towards just wyandottes, BO's and BA's (we getting the lingo right?), with 10 being just...
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