BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[RedRidge]

Quote:

BSF~ so your colony is in the barn? I'm having trouble picturing how the chx are kept from harvesting the larvae as they drop out....is it in a protected area?

thanks,
M

Nevermind...I just googled biopod. I get it

My bins are outside and are all self harvesting. I keep them on the east side of the barn so they are not in the sun most of the day.

 

[chickadoodles]

Here are my feeders they each hold abt. 25 lbs of feed one dish is deeper than the other. And I took a close up of the cut we made in the bottom of the PVC so you can see it.




Here in Alabama we have alot of humidity so sometimes when it rains the feeders stop up and we have to lift the pipe a little and unclog it. That is why it has more feed in it right now. It does not happen much and we have two so they won't be without food.

 

[BGMatt]

And how is this going for you Matt? I think I recall seeing you'd taken a break from breeding and then come back to it~ is this the second or third season with your birds? What are the weights on your first and second cull? (I'm guessing you've maybe only had a first cull this year) Are you working towards earlier maturity as well as fleshing out?
Just curious

I took a gander at Langshans over the weekend and the whites knocked me out. Not big on the blues or splash but wow, those whites with that sweepy neck and tail are something else.

M

Last year was such a turmoil filled year that it has totally fubar-ed this year. Less breeder birds than I'd like, late hatch last year meant late production this year. The method you quoted works great with a couple large batches (my preferred way to hatch) Not so good when you're stringing out small hatches over 3-4 months. I used the quoted method for years, and yes part of it is selecting for faster maturity. Can't push them too fast or you'll lose final size, so it's always a tightrope act.

 

[southernmomma]

Last year was such a turmoil filled year that it has totally fubar-ed this year. Less breeder birds than I'd like, late hatch last year meant late production this year. The method you quoted works great with a couple large batches (my preferred way to hatch) Not so good when you're stringing out small hatches over 3-4 months. I used the quoted method for years, and yes part of it is selecting for faster maturity. Can't push them too fast or you'll lose final size, so it's always a tightrope act.

Gosh I'm sorry! Perhaps I need to take a closer look at the breed thread

M

 

[BGMatt]

Gosh I'm sorry! Perhaps I need to take a closer look at the breed thread

M

It happens. Next year will be smoother. I'm lucky this second time around with birds that the line I started with hasn't been neglected, indeed my Black Langshans are keeping pace with my Buff Leghorns laying wise. 3 pullets of each were kept and getting at least 2 eggs a day from each pen. Will be pushing growth as much as I can, starting next year. Just hard to do when you're only getting 12 chicks a week instead of 50 or so.

 

[colburg]

Quote:
bmvf, have you ever tried "fertliizing" a garden or pasture area with raw milk? I read where the microbes in milk help the nutrient uptake of plants by converting nutrients into a more usable form for plants. I've read where some people have good results, and others don't. My thinking is it has to do with the current condition of the soil. Poor soil has only a few microbes in it while a teaspoon of good soil has a few billion microbes in it. Obviously results will be more noticeable when starting with poor soil. We're just getting to the point where I can spray 1-2 acres for a trial and see how it compares. colburg

 

[3riverschick]

I'm confused......you kill them but don't/won't eat them? I swear that's what Arielle wrote~ am I misinterpreting?
lol, it doesn't really matter, I'm just curious is all


M

That's what I wrote. There is a Amish couple several towns away that process the birds for 2.00 each. Maybe I will give them a try this year.
Best,
Karen

 

[RedRidge]

 

I'm confused......you kill them but don't/won't eat them?  I swear that's what Arielle wrote~ am I misinterpreting? 
lol, it doesn't really matter, I'm just curious is all


M

That's what I wrote. There is a Amish couple several towns away that process the birds for 2.00 each. Maybe I will give them a try this year.
 Best,
 Karen

That's a pretty sweet deal. I process all kinds of livestock and we do poultry twice a year... I sure wouldn't do it for $2/head

 

[bmvf]

bmvf, have you ever tried "fertliizing" a garden or pasture area with raw milk? I read where the microbes in milk help the nutrient uptake of plants by converting nutrients into a more usable form for plants.

I've read where some people have good results, and others don't. My thinking is it has to do with the current condition of the soil. Poor soil has only a few microbes in it while a teaspoon of good soil has a few billion microbes in it. Obviously results will be more noticeable when starting with poor soil.

We're just getting to the point where I can spray 1-2 acres for a trial and see how it compares.

colburg

I wouldn't have enough waste milk the spray much on the farm. I could do some of the garden but again my milk would have anti-biotic residues and might nullify the nutrient uptake. I would also worry about the milk smell after a few days along with the potential to attract unwanted flies.

 

[colburg]

Quote:

bmvf, have you ever tried "fertliizing" a garden or pasture area with raw milk? I read where the microbes in milk help the nutrient uptake of plants by converting nutrients into a more usable form for plants.

I've read where some people have good results, and others don't. My thinking is it has to do with the current condition of the soil. Poor soil has only a few microbes in it while a teaspoon of good soil has a few billion microbes in it. Obviously results will be more noticeable when starting with poor soil.

We're just getting to the point where I can spray 1-2 acres for a trial and see how it compares.

colburg

I wouldn't have enough waste milk the spray much on the farm. I could do some of the garden but again my milk would have anti-biotic residues and might nullify the nutrient uptake. I would also worry about the milk smell after a few days along with the potential to attract unwanted flies.

From what I nuderstand, it's only applied a few times/year, and it's diluted with water about 5(H2O) to 1milk and spray 18gal/acre. Here's a link to the article I found on it. http://familycow.proboards.com/thread/32411/applying-raw-milk-soil I'm not trying to be pushy, but I found it interesting and you may as well. If not, no worries. You may also be right about the antibiotics. cheers,