Alaska Chicken Lover's Soup for the Cold!!

[BirdBrain]

Some of the bags were recycle Budjet Feed bag (50 lb variety). The others were 100 lb sacks from Mill and Feed. We used a plastic bucket that held about 18.5 lbs. The farmer says a 5 gallon bucket hold 31 lbs. I think it was about a 3 gallon bucket. Anyhow we put 3 buckets full in the 50lb bags and 5 in the 100lb bags. We ended up with 12 50lb bags and 14 100 lb bags. Is all that clear as mud? We tied the tops with twine, using a miller's knot. Ask Mike at BF to show you how next time you're there if you don't know how they work.

 

[EHaus]

That's a lot of barley! I hope it lasts you a while. Sounds like it was a bit of work, though worth it.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Ok....am I the only one whose youngish birds (5 months) seem to be molting? The older birds and the younger birds are fine, but the in-betweeners are all losing tail feathers and looking generally kind of mangy, but not naked. (Except for the Brahmas who were feather picked.) Is this called something other than molting? I'm going to go check for bugs, to be on the safe side, but these birds haven't been separated from the others so it seems like the other ones would have the same issues if it was lice or something. I have recently been giving the birds a little calf manna and sunflower seeds as treats...can too much protein throw them into something like this?

Edited to say that I checked this morning after I wrote this and confirmed they do not have any kind of lice or mite or other creepie crawly.

 

[Eveil]

OMG I though that one of the quail had damaged one of the chicken eggs because they where not supposed to hatch tell the 21st but I have three the look like they have hole in them and two have little beaks sticking out of them. There hatching to soon is that a bad thing?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Looks like we are getting a full box on Wednesday.
That leaves the rest of you to work out your portions.
DH wants to go this route, so we are not always driving over to Palmer to get feed.
Just need to track down the proper amount of fishmeal and stuff. Already have plenty of oyster shell, as we feed that seperate.
Thinking about getting some kelp powder to add.....

 

[Wolfwoman]

Paula, let us know where you find the fishmeal

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
AFW does have it, and I know we can get it through the co-op (WLW).
Prices, I do not know....

 

[Wolfwoman]

My $75 chick Stormy at 6 weeks...

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Bonnie, Stormy is looking super good! I guess as far as the barley goes, if you, myself and Julie can't split a ton between us, we'll just have to get the regular price!

Everyone, my friend with the account at Mill & Feed said that they do not offer discounts in any way shape or form on fish meal and.....it's $75 for a 55 lb bag.

This is where the guy at Budget gets it, though. I'd imagine he bumps it up at least a few dollars to make a profit. Don't know about AFW. We thought about contact the folks at Copper River Salmon directly and seeing if they had any ideas. Apparently there is a some kind of shortage of fish mill right now?! the guy at M&F said he even had people calling from California for it! It has apparently recently almost doubled in price.

For those of you that already feed it, how much do you use in relation to the barley? Is this still cost effective at this price? Are there any other protein products we could use? Do the slaughterhouses offer by-product mill? (I don't know if that's something I would do, but would be worth looking into.)

 

[Wolfwoman]

Wow that's expensive... the guy at Budget said he was having troubles getting it too when we were there a few weeks ago. Why can't any other meat protein be used?