California - Northern

[WildflowerJLH]

Thank you for the great information!

There are several of us that are interested in fish meal. If I can't get(or afford) the Cascade, I give them Ultra Kibble, which has animal protein in it. I also picked up some cat food from Costco that has fish and salmon meal in it. The chickens love it!

Edited to add: It just occurred to me that you are in Redding and are in A drop. Is that drop in Redding and can others join it?

Short answer: Yes!

Long answer: I have hosted Azure Standard drops for the last 6 years in 3 counties in CA. When we moved to Shingletown, I had to find a drop! We rely heavily on AS for our groceries, as well as feed. Redding is a really special place, because we have TWO routes that come through, so you have the opportunity to order every 2 weeks, instead of having to wait 4 weeks between drops.

I took over the K1 drop from another mom shortly after joining. She needed to take something off of her plate, I had the experience, and it would help me to have better contact with the driver, since I drive so much further for the delivery. I have a friend that hosts the K3 drop, too. Next delivery is on K3 on Jan. 7. Next K1 should be Jan. 21.

Anyone interested in either, please PM me, and I will send you details!

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
I hope those up in Redding take advantage of this! Check out the Azure standard website to see all the things they sell!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Azure does not have the price up now the Big Sky Layer. What was the cost for it?

Thanks!

 

[zooweemama]

I am new to the Nor Cal group. We moved up here (near Redding) last December, but had not internet for 9 months. I am now caught up enough to rejoin BYC activities!

Wanted to jump in on the feed discussion, as this has been an issue for us. My chooks have always been fed the Cascade feed, but recently, I have been trying to cut cost. I am not willing to compromise on the corn and soy, which had me very limited for a long time. Modesto Milling started making an organic, corn- and soy-free feed recently, and we have been feeding that some. I also ordered the Big Sky feed from Azure Standard to try it.

The big difference that I am finding is that Cascade uses fish meal as a protein source. Rogue, Modesto Milling, and Big Sky are vegetarian. I have not used Scratch and Peck (did someone say this was organic?), but the label posted shows fish meal. I will probably try some of the S&P when it becomes available through Azure Standard.

The other ingredient that most of the vegetarian feeds have is canola meal. I only recently learned that canola is in the same boat as corn and soy, so I will not be buying the veg feeds listed above anymore.

I changed the feed in the fall, so I attributed the decreased egg production to molt, season, etc. I got some Cascade Starter to mix into the veg feed that I have left, and production started rising almost immediately. Basically, at this point, I am no longer buying any vegetarian feed. I have a local friend that buys her feed by the tote (she breeds about 5 different breeds, I think). She recently found out that her supplier can get 50# bags of organic fish meal for $70. So I am considering buying less expensive veg feed and cutting in the fish meal. At 75% protein, it would not take much to make a difference, I think.

Well, that about sums up my chicken feed experience lately. I love seeing how active this Nor Cal thread is! The other was not very busy at all.

HI! Welcome!

I am really interested in Azure Standard and the fish meal. I have an account but never ordered. I just am really unsure with how it all works.

I am at the same point- need to be mindful of feed costs but really want/need to get corn and soy and canola out of my food supply (ahem chickens and ducks). Just unsure of what to do where to go at this point.

Adding fishmeal...does it make the eggs taste fishy? I read that is does...maybe you have to be careful of how much?

Are you thinking of buying a bag and splitting it? What would be a good ratio to work into a standard layer pellet/crumble?

 

[ElitePoultry]

Hey wildflower.

Yes im in Anderson.

Thank you SOO much for the info about AS. I've been trying to find a way to get some. I want to get my layers on it before the spring so I can offer corn free soy free eating eggs.

I'll send you a PM now!

 

[PetRock]

I would love your recipe

Me, too!

 

[OR4-hmom]

This goes way back, about 45 years or so. The hatchery messed up and sent my dad 200 chicks, he had only ordered 100. Needless to say everyone started pecking on one another, being white made it worse. To distract them my job was to pull wild mustard and hang it all around the fence, keeping their focus up and hopefully away from the bloody tail ends of the others. We also hung catfish carcasses, they loved them and it didn't take them long to strip them down to nothing, the extra protein helped them also. I also got the job of catching them so mom could paint their hind ends with white shoe polish. What fond memories-not!

 

[Gomes Bantams]

daily dose of funny

 

[ronott1]

daily dose of funny

Thank You!

 

[chiqita]

Key lime pie the easy way

From cooks illustrated mostly.

1/2 cup lime juice
1 tsp lime rind
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Your favorite Graham cracker crust
2 egg yolks.

Combine everything and blend. Let sit for at least 20 min to blend. Pour in pie crust. Bake at 325 for 15 to 17 min. If you like use whites for merengue.

This version is sweet so I add about 3/4 cup lime juice. Also if you can get a bitter citrus you can use the juice of one instead of peel. We have some orange on the outside green on the inside thing that does the trick on a tree outside.

I also sometimes grate a thumb of ginger and marinate it in the juice overnight for ginger key lime. Decorate with candied ginger. I'm trying adding kiwi pulp to one tonight I'll see how it goes.



Has anyone else's spell checker disappeared? Its horrible.