4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[SilkieSensation]

DUCK questions!!! Went can I start to treat them and what kinda grit at their age... ancona from New years eve????????

You can start giving treats as soon as they fit down their little bills easily. Just add the grit right into their feed, a pinch in each bowl stirred in will do it. They especially like frozen peas or mixed veggies tossed in their water to go diving for. If you use the mixed veggies just watch the green beans as sometimes they are a bit big & may need chopped up for small ducklings.

 

[SilkieSensation]

What form does the Calcium come in? Powder? Granular? Pellets?? I'll have to make a little pit stop at the feed store today...

Ask for a bag of Oyster Shell. It typically comes in a 50 lb bag but the bag is much smaller than a 50 lb feed bag because the shell is so much heavier. You don't need much. For every 6 scoops of feed I put in my mix I throw in 1/3 scoop of oyster shell & they still usually leave some in the bottom of the bowl. I think some stores like TSC carry smaller 5-10 lb bags as well if you have a very small flock.

 

[SilkieSensation]

It said it is "granulated"... I think I'll pick up a bag tomorrow.

I feed Nutrena and they don't have a "grower" feed. They have "All Flock" that is 18% protein and says for all poultry over 7 weeks.

Flock Raiser is the same for Purina. It's actually really good if you have ducks since they can't have the medicated feed. When I have a lot of babies I tend to use the Flock Raiser (or other brand equivalent if cheaper) so thet the babies aren't getting the extra calcium in the layer.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I fed flock raiser to all my birds chicks adults and quail but the last time I went I went to a diffrent place and ended up with game bird feed crumbles . I probly shoud have just gone to the other store and gotten the flock raiser but I had such a bad head ache the last thing I wanted to do was go to another store . I think it should be ok it has more protien for the babies and quail and my layers will just have to wait a couple weeks till I can get a bag of layer crumbles to mix some up with there portion.
I think if you buy good grade high protien feed and dont let it get contaminated with mold or droppings birds do fine with it but I havent been raiseing birds that long.

Your quail & the little Serama you raise will actually do better with the higher protein. Just make sure you offer some extra calcium on the side for the egg layers.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have buttons and cots , and my little serama and of course butter the silkie

, I give them scambled eggs as a treat , its one of the only things the little buggers will eat my birds are picky they dont like almost any of the things others say there birds love. So far I havent had a problem but Im new and learning every day. I cant wait to start with the fermented feed, I think the game bird feed with the spent grains will be a good food for eveyrone

That would be perfect. Just watch your quail with bigger grains. Mine refuse to eat the wheat & oats in 1 brand of chop I was buying. They were whole, so they had trouble swallowing them & just left them in the bowls.

 

[gabrielle1976]

For my buttons and my babies I grind everything up in a blender , I havent actually gotton the spent grains from the brewery yet they said I could have some whenever I came to pick some up if they had it they give there mass quaintity to a farmer but I just want a bucketfull so they said that was fine . they brew on tuesdays and fridays but they are about thirty minutes away so I have to find a way to get there as I dont drive . a friends sister goes there for therpy for her duaghter every tues and fri so Im hopeing to hook up a ride with her starting in feb as they already go there and come back and live only a couple blocks from me. I dont know what grians are in tehre I cant wait to see what my birds think the picky little blighters

 

[gabrielle1976]

Im probly not one to talk heaven only knows I ask tons of questions and probly repeat my self but does anyone else ever feel like you answer the same 4 or 5 questions daily or even multipule times a day such as how long can I store my eggs. what temp should it be at , what should my humidity be ect. I dont mind but it seems like its been alot lately

 

[ronott1]

Im probly not one to talk heaven only knows I ask tons of questions and probly repeat my self but does anyone else ever feel like you answer the same 4 or 5 questions daily or even multipule times a day such as how long can I store my eggs. what temp should it be at , what should my humidity be ect. I dont mind but it seems like its been alot lately

I like it when people ask questions and give good descriptions of what they are doing. It is easy to forget that not everyone knows things that I consider the basics. I am always learning and asking questions is how we learn.

I feel kind of bad about not figuring out the Calcium and rooster dieing that Sally Shunshine had at the beginning of the hatch-a-long.

I hope we have helped her now!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Duckies Chocolate and BlackBerry, who should be called dinkleberry.... watch video closely.....
and I had to tell kiddos that the brown stuff in the tub was just dirt and feathers in fear that they wouldnt take baths for me anymore!!!!






Duckies new bigger area!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: