I coarse grind, bag (about 1 lb. Packs) & freeze organ meats, fats, trim. We process our own beef and pork, so have a good supply. They eat it all. I feed at least a bag a day for 25-30 hens.
Hey Leah's mom. What kind of field peas or variety do you feed? I am growing a small patch this year. I have a reliable source of liver and beef trimmings, but was wanting a vegetable protein source. I only have so much freezer space for meat proteins. Thanks! Does anyone else feed field...
Central Hatchery, Oklahoma. 100 straight run, $122 includes shipping to Montana. I ordered them on recommendations from this board. You call and talk to the owner. He says how much, send a check prior to shipping. Mine will come in June. So no personal experience yet.
Carol
Take away the cup. Tap on the nipple multiple times. It just takes one or two to get it. I feed wet/fermented, so they do get some water that way. I have only used nipples from day one.
Carol
Ask away. We do have the water bucket inside another bucket with the bottom cut away from the nipples. No, the heater doesn't have to touch the nipples, it just does. No freeze ups, 8x16 uninsulated coop with 8x16 roofed run. Lots of ventilation up high, not drafty. 24 birds (Leghorns)...
I'm in Montana. I use a square 4-5 gallon bucket with 2 nipples. I use a bird bath heater? Round metal. Turns on at 35. off at 40. I lay the heater on top of the nipples and plug it in.
The feed stores or Murdochs carry them closer to cold weather. Heater was about $40. Worth every penny...
We save all our butcher trim-scraps for the chickens. Deer, beef, pork. We grind and freeze it. We even raise our Cornish cross on meat scraps. Great source of protein.
Carol
I have that same turner. You are missing the piece from the motor that goes in the channel. My piece had jumped or was knocked out of the channel and pressing on the outside of the channel. Made the right sounds but no movement. Lucky for me, I had just set the eggs and got if fixed right...
If you are thinking Lasagna, or permanent mulch, fall is the best time to get you beds ready. Gather and place mulch now and it will setttle and mellow and be ready when you are. This saves me so much time in the spring when everything needs done yesterday. I don't have woodchips, but lots of...
I see you follow the Oldworldgardenfarm. Just found them myself. Like their style. About equipment, we have and I have used them all. I have a 52" tiller on one tractor. I could till every year. But!
I personally detest hoeing weeds, no matter how advanced the tool is, I still have to...
One thing I do also when trying something new, do 1 bed. Compare it to the regular beds side by side. I use mulch, applied in the fall to save time in the spring. I used to till under the mulch, plant, and then mulch again. I just didn't always get it done before having to deal with weeding...
Well, probably 20 plus years. I only have 45 leghorns. I hatch out about that many each spring, keep some for replacements, sell what I can of the rest.
Chris09. I don't know if I explain my feeding practices very well. They are healthy, productive. That's all I need.
Carol
I feed enough for them to have a full crop. It's an observation. I want everyone to be full and some feed still left in the feeder. My feeds are probably equal amounts of each. I don't calculate all the numbers of proteins, etc. They are health and productive. We have predators also, so my...
I only feed whole grains. And I ferment them. Sometimes i sprout them. I don't feed prepared feeds. Meat scraps, veggie scraps, fermented wheat, barley, and oats. Sunflower heads sometimes. This is for mature birds. Chicks, I grind grains as needed and ferment.
Carol
pdirt, thanks on the reminder about too much salt. I will do the chard separately and cut it into ribbons sort of. I did give them a quart of a sauerkraut mix that I didn't care for. It was only 7 weeks old. Glad they liked it. The broccoli will be the leaves of the plant mainly. I know it...
I don't cut corners on my personal Kraut. But this is for the chickens. It will still ferment. And I am using bad cabbage, leftovers from the garden, things chickens love.
Carol
Yes, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. I have a large bed of kale, chard and I will try fermenting the leaves of the broccoli plants we have harvested.
Carol