Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fizzybelle]

Hehe there is a beak under all that fluff!

 

[Fancychooklady]

I like the mix you made up Fancy, I might give that a go, just wondering, does the salmon or any fish really, does that effect the taste of the eggs they lay?

No not at all. The mackerel is a good source of omega 3 too.

 

[MyHaven]

Fancy ... I know turmeric is excellent for us humans, but would never have thought chookies could or should eat it.  

Stupid non-thinking on my part.   Turmeric will now get added to their 'goodies' mix, the base of which is rice - or left over pasta ( if there is ever any of it remaining in this house  !! ).. 

To the main mixing bowl of goodies,  how much turmeric can I add while mixing it all up.   It usually  results in about a cat bowl size of the goodies for each girl.   I give my two big girls a bowl each, or a double cat bowl with food either side - because they tend to get into punch-ups over a single bowl of it.  

     

My chooks dug up the turmeric I was growing. It was in a high pot but they still got it the rotters. They ate it, I never found a piece to replant.

Also, just a tip - read the mackerel tin. I bought the mackerel in tomatoe sauce. Yuk - I can't image eating that. Each to their own though.

 

[MyHaven]

Tumeric is great. I gave it to Zeus when he had cancer. It was supposed to help with the swelling in the effected limb and it seemed to work well.


My chickens are loving chillis at the moment i have 7 varieties that are still fruiting way to much for what we need so them get them as treats each day.

I don't know if it works but chilli is supposed to encourage eggs too.

 

[MyHaven]

It's also why egg binding is common in production birds. The exact same amount of calcium is released from the shell gland to coat the egg, no matter what the size. So the bigger the egg the thinner the shell. Eventually one is ruptured in the chamber and that is usually the beginning of the end.

OMG - that explains so much. I've got a Sussex that lays huge single yokers and I often crack the egg when collecting them. She's a newy and I'd put the shell strength down to my flocks current health condition.

 

[satay]

I don't know if it works but chilli is supposed to encourage eggs too.

I've heard that too but my girls must not have got that memo In the main pen the only ones laying are the aras and they are laying 3 from 3. The marans are laying about 3 eggs every second day and the millies are laying maybe 2 to 3 eggs a week and Anni b the lav belgian lays about one egg a week. Teila is on strike. For this time of year i think that"s ok though.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I don't know if it works but chilli is supposed to encourage eggs too.

Paprika sprinkled on the feed is said to encourage them back into lay.

 

[Fancychooklady]

My chooks dug up the turmeric I was growing. It was in a high pot but they still got it the rotters. They ate it, I never found a piece to replant.

Also, just a tip - read the mackerel tin. I bought the mackerel in tomatoe sauce. Yuk - I can't image eating that. Each to their own though.

My dogs and chooks love either but I prefer the one in oil it's better for them and the oil may help to prevent crop issues.
For my flock of 70 I boil 4x bags of pasta spirals @ 65 cents a bag and to that I add 4x cans of mackerel in oil @ $1.80 per can . I usually add 2-3 heaped tablespoons of turmeric and minced garlic and a few raw silkie eggs. For those with smaller flocks 1x bag to 1x tin would probably give you an entire days feed. . For many years I used sardines in oil but just recently they increased in price and after researching I found that the mackerel were higher in omega 3 anyway.

 

[satay]

My dogs and chooks love either but I prefer the one in oil it's better for them and the oil may help to prevent crop issues.
For my flock of 70 I boil 4x bags of pasta spirals @ 65 cents a bag and to that I add 4x cans of mackerel in oil @ $1.80 per can . I usually add 2-3 heaped tablespoons of turmeric and minced garlic and a few raw silkie eggs. For those with smaller flocks 1x bag to 1x tin would probably give you an entire days feed. . For many years I used sardines in oil but just recently they increased in price and after researching I found that the mackerel were higher in omega 3 anyway.

I do something similar. I do noodles rather than pasta, sometimes rice as well. I use sardines but will look in to mackerel as well now that you mention it. I grate fresh turmeric over the top as i grow it myself and usually add a heap of chillis.

 

[Teila]

Good morning Folks

Howdy MikeAnim welcome to the thread and BYC.

Lots of interesting reading regarding egg sizes, treats, chillis and turmeric.

I do believe I may have the fussiest chickens in the world!

I read Fancy’s and others’ recipes with much interest but knowing that my gals will not eat it!

I will try and explain, they do not eat anything clumped if that makes sense. If I give them anything that kind of looks all blended together, they will not eat it … they prefer loosely mixed food where they can pick out what they want to eat. They will not eat oats.

Sjturner79 I like the name McLeod for your boy.

SilkieChickStar your fluff ball is adorable!!

Due to staff shortages and no-one to cover later in the day, I am working a split shift today; finishing up at 12:30 but returning at 3pm to work until 6pm. Working from home means it is not a big drama and I figured that rather than the girls waiting until 4pm for supervised free range, I can let them out at 12:30 and hubby can take over watching them at 3pm and ensure they get to bed OK .. lucky chookies!

They get to free range for most of the day on the weekends but with the expected heavy rain again on Sunday, their bonus today will hopefully make up for the fact that I do not think they will be ranging much on Sunday.