Brahma Thread

[Tim63]

I agree. The problem with scratch is the birds tend to fill up on it and miss the nutritional value that is in the starter or pellets. Of course this is entirely from a show/exhibition perspective.

Tim

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

Mixing scratch with your starter reduces the overall protein of their feed.   I do feed scratch with my birds, but not a lot.

I scatter a little across their bedding in the morning, once in a while in the evening, if I need to lock them up before dark, if I need to go some where.   In my case scratch is more of a past time as it is a feed. It motivates the birds to go through their bedding, fluffing it up, keeping it loose and dry. During bad weather, it gives them something to do inside. On very cold winter days I will throw some high corn scratch an hour or so before dark to help generate heat through the night. 

My scratch varies by season, with higher corn content during winter. It usually consists of whole corn, wheat, oats, wild bird seed( mostly millet,sorgum) black oil sunflower.

I believe I would feed straight starter, one that is animal protein based.

What I have been buying is that Purina chick starter in small quantities. 5$ bags. I didn't want to buy a large bag and have it go bad.

 

[big medicine]

A load of ground feed (800-900 lbs.) lasts me about 4 weeks during the summer, longer during the winter. I keep my feed in the "feed room" at the end of the coop, in two tight boxes. One wood, that I feed out of every day, the other a large heavy plastic box, both have tight fitting lids. Have never had any issue with feed going bad. Did screw up once with some scratch, put some home grown corn into a plastic barrel, put the lid on, and failed to check for moisture content soon enough. Got a little musty before I caught it.

As long as you keep it dry, keep rodents, and bugs out of it, relatively cool,( large shade trees in my case), limit sun and air exposure, I would feel safe feeding feed a couple months old without much loss of nutrients, or safety issues.

 

[Tim63]

AND you are spending a LOT more money buying it in such small quantities. Buy a fifty pound sack and feed it till its gone. You will save money.(or more importantly, your parents will) 50 pounds here is about 15 dollars. How many pounds are you getting for 5 dollars?

Tim

 

[Tammy N]

We have only lost the 5 young pullets called Oregon University they do the nucropsys taking 2 in .
the only other thing i have done was fed them a head of lettuce this guy just showed up wanting chickens and the guy Roy i got mine from told him about me no call no nothing just showed up I wanna Kill the jerk

 

[Tammy N]

IF it really is ILT you can vaccinate and save some birds. If you don't hurry and vaccinate they will all die. BigMs right on the bloody trachea, they also cough blood. I have not had ILT....almost unheard of in Texas. I have read on another forum you can run a Q-tip across the roof of the birds mouth/beak from rear to front...if it shows blood its most likely ILT. SO many bird diseases have similar symptoms, its kind of dangerous to diagnose yourself. If there is no blood it could be any number of things. Sorry.

Tim

TIM BM what do i use as a Vaccine where do i get it and How fast These are my babies Patrone looks ok but i want to treat every one i really am not happy Leaving soon to get the nucropsy

 

[naightengale]

this is Birdzilla he was among my first chickens he hasnt even started to crow yet, he got his name because he came in a big box with a bunch of bantums and was of course MUCH bigger it took us some time to figure out just what he was lol (he was sold as a HEN) he is 4 to5 mo
this is Lacy my Dark hen 2mo

this is Dumpling my Light hen 2mo

this is Nugget my Buff hen 2mo

 

[Tim63]

TIM BM what do i use as a Vaccine where do i get it and How fast These are my babies Patrone looks ok but i want to treat every one i really am not happy Leaving soon to get the nucropsy

They sell an ILT vaccine. I'm sure its avaliable from Twin City Poultry Supply. Not sure how long it will take to get it. Maybe you should wait for the necroposy results. Might not be ILT at all.

 

[dak]

They sell an ILT vaccine. I'm sure its avaliable from Twin City Poultry Supply. Not sure how long it will take to get it. Maybe you should wait for the necroposy results. Might not be ILT at all.

Generally, a vaccine must be administered prior to exposure to the pathogen, leaving the body time to produce specific antibodies for the given disease.

Clare

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

AND you are spending a LOT more money buying it in such small quantities. Buy a fifty pound sack and feed it till its gone. You will save money.(or more importantly, your parents will) 50 pounds here is about 15 dollars. How many pounds are you getting for 5 dollars?

Tim

It is about 4 or 5 pounds. The 50 pound sack I am not sure how much it is. The 50 pound of chicken scratch I buy for the hens is about 11 and the regular feed is 16. I think it should be about the same for the chick feed. I should start working by next month. Once that happens I will be able to buy more feed. For now I clean a neighbor's house for 25$ a week. That just goes to gas money to get to school and back.