Arkansas folks speak up.........

[Arkansas81]

I give fermented feed along with their regular layer feed. I found giving fermented feed ahout 3x a week helped them during the winter time since they can't be free ranged as easily. I noticed they seem fuller waste feed less and didn't seem as stressed. I also found that flock raiser has had wonderful results as well. I also give them scratch and put in BOSS as well.

I change up their feed every few times a week. Never had health problems or bad effects from the regiment. I also try to give them plenty of greens, scrambled eggs, fresh sprouts as well. I know they hate being cooped up during the winter cause usually they are free to do as they please in the summer. I get some feed from tsc and local co-op. If you switch the food around time to time they don't get bored and pick on each other.

 

[Newtoit]

When we were living in California
We owned and ran a feed store, we sold a brand called Helens Best
Only available in the West coast as far as Arizona
We just picked up a brand called Adm, hope it is a good feed.

 

[DarthRooster]

Anyone know any good places to get chicks from in Northwest Arkansas? Looking at getting Dorkings and some other rarer breeds, Thanks

 

[draye]

Anyone know any good places to get chicks from in Northwest Arkansas? Looking at getting Dorkings and some other rarer breeds, Thanks

You near Fayetteville? Try the U of A pail try department. Not sure about chicks but they do sometimes share eggs.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

You near Fayetteville? Try the U of A pail try department. Not sure about chicks but they do sometimes share eggs.

Yep. If you want to hatch, U of A Poultry Sciences, Dr. Bramwell has a number of rare breeds and they give out any eggs they are not using. The stopped working with Dorkings, I was told, but they also had several other heavy breeds including Favorelles.

Ridgerunner is on BYC and he is in that area. Haven't seen him lately here but he usually sells birds I believe.

Good luck.!

 

[Ridgerunner]

No Puddin I have never sold any birds. I don’t raise “breeds” either, just have my own barnyard mix. Right now I have black mottled and red mottled Easter Eggers, most of them laying green eggs but with some brown egg genetics still there. Most of them are just pullets starting to lay so the eggs are not yet big enough for me to be comfortable even considering them hatching eggs. Maybe mid to late spring.

But I’m getting bored with this look. All the chicks are looking the same at hatch, either dark red or black. Not a lot of variety in the adults plumage either. I’ll get a Buff Rock male chick this year to raise so next year’s chicks will be a lot more varied in appearance. I’ll lose the mottling for a generation since mottling is a recessive gene but eventually will get back to an all-mottled flock of mostly green egg layers.

Dr. Bramwell is a great suggestion. He gives 4-h’ers first call on the eggs but is an extremely nice person and will probably work with you. It is certainly worth a call.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

No Puddin I have never sold any birds. I don’t raise “breeds” either, just have my own barnyard mix. Right now I have black mottled and red mottled Easter Eggers, most of them laying green eggs but with some brown egg genetics still there. Most of them are just pullets starting to lay so the eggs are not yet big enough for me to be comfortable even considering them hatching eggs. Maybe mid to late spring.

But I’m getting bored with this look. All the chicks are looking the same at hatch, either dark red or black. Not a lot of variety in the adults plumage either. I’ll get a Buff Rock male chick this year to raise so next year’s chicks will be a lot more varied in appearance. I’ll lose the mottling for a generation since mottling is a recessive gene but eventually will get back to an all-mottled flock of mostly green egg layers.

Dr. Bramwell is a great suggestion. He gives 4-h’ers first call on the eggs but is an extremely nice person and will probably work with you. It is certainly worth a call.

Oops! I was thinking I had seen you selling before. I know you have a wealth of knowledge anyway. Maybe you know of someone else in the area who does.

Happy new year anyway!!

 

[reneoy]

I am in Northwest Arkansas with a flock of 5 hens. (waves)

 

[reneoy]

I got my chicks at Feed, Seed & More in Springdale. They have a large book that shows all of the breeds they will get and when they will arrive, so that you can get the youngest hatchlings. Their feed, wood shavings, and straw are all very reasonable. Also, I believe that this will order special breeds for you.

 

[reneoy]

Anyone know any good places to get chicks from in Northwest Arkansas? Looking at getting Dorkings and some other rarer breeds, Thanks

Sorry, I meant my previous post to be in reply to the above quote.