BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[alisar]

Regarding brown rice, my grandma (from Taiwan) insists that I feed them brown rice. Practically nags at me to do so. She says it "makes their flesh sweeter and their feathers shinier." I always tell her I do, but I don't, not because I think the chickens will explode, but I'm afraid it will go rancid since it gets so crazy hot here sometimes.

 

[hellbender]

Regarding brown rice, my grandma (from Taiwan) insists that I feed them brown rice. Practically nags at me to do so. She says it "makes their flesh sweeter and their feathers shinier." I always tell her I do, but I don't, not because I think the chickens will explode, but I'm afraid it will go rancid since it gets so crazy hot here sometimes.

We buy it in 50 pound bags and store it in a freezer...otherwise it will go rancid.

 

[lpatelski]

Woohoo! My Tilapia had babies! Now I just need to find the time to set up a separate tank for them so they can grow large enough not to appear as live feed for the grown-ups. 

That is awsome. If you're raising them outside do not forget to cover the tank. The birds and 4 leggers love to eat fish. Stock tanks, huge water tanks work well for growout. Aquaponic setups are an amazing way to detoxify the water.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Tilapia is my absolute favourite fish. Too bad it's too cold for them here or I'd be raising them!

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks for the info DesertChic. I didn't know Naked Necks did well in the heat. If I decide to try integrating a BR cockerel I'll shoot you a pm for that breeder you referred to. I'm up above Phoenix but I'm familiar with the area down where you're at if the breeder is down there too. I go hunting down around three Points and Patagonia State Park and I have relatives over in Hereford - that's a great area to live in.

Also read your post about the Tilapia. You're doing everything I'm trying to get into. Me and my wife are planning a tilapia pond now but we probably won't get to putting it in till next spring. We just have too much on our plate at the moment. We just planted 110 wine grape vines recently and I still need to string the catch wires. I'm gettin' pooped out. But that would be great to raise tilapia, raise and breed chickens, make wine, and have a good vegetable garden going. What more could a guy/girl want?

That's awesome about the grape vines! I only had room to plant three to try them out. Gardening has been the biggest challenge for me but I've finally reached a point of being able to grow some decent crops for my family and my chickens. The aquaponics has been more challenging than expected too. The fish are doing VERY well, but we've found out the hard way that conditions still need to be just right for the aquaponics to be completely successful.

One caveate about the Tilapia...AZ passed a law at the beginning of this year listing Tilapia as an invasive species and banning the sale of live Tilapia. I know that there's a push from the community and places like EcoGrow in Tucson to make allowances for the self-sufficiency/prepper groups, but I haven't heard how much success they've had in changing the legislation. We were lucky to be grandfathered in since we purchased our fish at the end of last year...and that's why I'm so happy about the Tilapia babies. I can keep our tank stocked without having to bump against the law.

 

[DesertChic]

That is awsome. If you're raising them outside do not forget to cover the tank. The birds and 4 leggers love to eat fish. Stock tanks, huge water tanks work well for growout. Aquaponic setups are an amazing way to detoxify the water.

Our setup is actually inside a block building with a roll-up garage door, skylights and windows, and an excessive amount of artificial lighting. The only predator problem we've had so far was from mice that decided all those veggies were just a little too tempting. They cleaned out half of one of my grow beds before we finally caught them all.

 

[cyborg]

That is awsome. If you're raising them outside do not forget to cover the tank. The birds and 4 leggers love to eat fish. Stock tanks, huge water tanks work well for growout. Aquaponic setups are an amazing way to detoxify the water.

Our setup is actually inside a block building with a roll-up garage door, skylights and windows, and an excessive amount of artificial lighting. The only predator problem we've had so far was from mice that decided all those veggies were just a little too tempting. They cleaned out half of one of my grow beds before we finally caught them all. :/

I don't know how you've set up your sump tank, but the problem I have with mine is lizards falling in while trying to get a drink, and drowning because they can't get out. Also, the spadefoot toads consider it a prime breeding location.

 

[ejcrist]

That's awesome about the grape vines! I only had room to plant three to try them out. Gardening has been the biggest challenge for me but I've finally reached a point of being able to grow some decent crops for my family and my chickens. The aquaponics has been more challenging than expected too. The fish are doing VERY well, but we've found out the hard way that conditions still need to be just right for the aquaponics to be completely successful.

One caveate about the Tilapia...AZ passed a law at the beginning of this year listing Tilapia as an invasive species and banning the sale of live Tilapia. I know that there's a push from the community and places like EcoGrow in Tucson to make allowances for the self-sufficiency/prepper groups, but I haven't heard how much success they've had in changing the legislation. We were lucky to be grandfathered in since we purchased our fish at the end of last year...and that's why I'm so happy about the Tilapia babies. I can keep our tank stocked without having to bump against the law.

I didn't know about tilapia being considered an invasive species. Gosh who cares if they are - they're some of the best tasting fish around. If we're going to get invaded I can't think of a better fish to get invaded by. Anyway that's good to know. Gives me something else to consider. Another reason I wanted the pond is to grow kankung (water spinach). We grow some in our garden but you really have to keep the area wet by building a depression and it does best in an aquatic environment. I think that's considered an invasive species in some parts too but if I don't eat it regularly I'll die. So anyway there's more than one reason I want to build the pond but that's a shame about the tilapia - I never would've guessed.

 

[ejcrist]

That's awesome about the grape vines! I only had room to plant three to try them out. Gardening has been the biggest challenge for me but I've finally reached a point of being able to grow some decent crops for my family and my chickens. The aquaponics has been more challenging than expected too. The fish are doing VERY well, but we've found out the hard way that conditions still need to be just right for the aquaponics to be completely successful.

One caveate about the Tilapia...AZ passed a law at the beginning of this year listing Tilapia as an invasive species and banning the sale of live Tilapia. I know that there's a push from the community and places like EcoGrow in Tucson to make allowances for the self-sufficiency/prepper groups, but I haven't heard how much success they've had in changing the legislation. We were lucky to be grandfathered in since we purchased our fish at the end of last year...and that's why I'm so happy about the Tilapia babies. I can keep our tank stocked without having to bump against the law.

Just a quick note - I read the AZ Game and Fish rule (R12-4-406) from 12/15/2015 on tilapia restrictions and from what I can tell it's ok to purchase them as long as you get an Aquatic Wildlife Stocking License (free of charge) and purchase from a facility that was inspected in the last 12 months and found free of diseases. Here's the link: https://www.azgfd.com/license/speciallicense/aquaticstocking/. I believe you have to submit a copy of their inspection with your application. Also the license is good for 20 days. Apparently in your case, like you were saying, you're grandfathered in and only need the license for purchasing new fish. Am I understanding the process correctly? I was thinking being an invasive species you wouldn't be allowed to possess them at all under any conditions which kinda had me down. It seems like every time I want to get involved in something there's 50 gazillian rules and regulations that say I can't do it. Hopefully this isn't one of them though.

 

[varidgerunner]

Sometimes forgiveness is easier to ask for than permission.