California - Northern

[Grandmas Basket]

I give my flocks scratch as a treat. I buy it in 50 lb bags - It keeps well in a garbage can. Just a little bit as a treat is fine, just don't feed it as their main food. (think of it like candy)

I got one of those yellow plastic chicken treat balls and this should be good as fill in that. I will open the bag and see how they like the scratch. They love meal worms and canned corn, but this is already on hand and the right price so am crossing fingers they like this treat.
Quote: OK Ron. Good info. I'll have to go research half of the ingredients you list

. I appreciate the freezer bag idea. Have room in our garage freezer and that frees up space in the garbage can where it is currently parked. The little rascals I have are downright disappointed when I show up without treats. I limit them to once a day as I want them to eat their starter as primary fuel.

 

[chiqita]

I use fodder as my treats. They treat it as a treat, and it cuts the feed bill down even more then fermenting. Mario stopped for a while, and HOLY CRAP!!! no fodder and no fermenting made it double, ouch.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

I follow this thread daily. I learn a lot reading the posts. I bought 5 chicks from Molly 10 weeks ago. I got 3 pullets from them, making me perfectly compliant with the 3 hen limit here in the city. My first little bantam roo was a beauty but a bit of a bully and not too hard to part with. Today Tango began beginner crowing so I'm going to have to figure out somewhere to place him. I wanted to hold onto him longer to see how his Cochin frizzle pattern develops. He's such a sweetie and really gets along with the 3 girls. I put him out in our yard to try and get some photogenic shots under the Japanese maple. He wasn't having anything to do with it and immediately ran for the girls in his run - peeping in distress until I opened the door to let him back in. I took the photos below as he rejoined his buddies. I'll post to Craigslist but also want to know about other options. I believe the Orangevale Small Animal Exchange is held on the 2nd Saturday monthly. If so, that's out as we are renting a house on the coast for our wedding anniversary that weekend. Are there any other options available? I'll gladly drive anywhere in No Cal to find a home for this little guy. Thanks!

He IS funky cute! Good luck rehoming and don't forget the listings here on byc for a local pick up... He will make adorable babies!!!

 

[tls_ranch]

I can't believe it's raining like this in late June...not a thunder storm....a real rain like in April. I almost want to start a fire in the fireplace, LOL.

The birds are loving it though...most are out in the rain getting soaking wet and "mud" bathing in the wet dirt

.

I wanted to show a few pics of my huge Splash Barnevelder cockerel. I'll have to track down his exact age, but he's just starting his final juvenile moult.


next to a pure barnie pullet the same age.





Trisha

 

[ronott1]

I can't believe it's raining like this in late June...not a thunder storm....a real rain like in April. I almost want to start a fire in the fireplace, LOL.

The birds are loving it though...most are out in the rain getting soaking wet and "mud" bathing in the wet dirt

.

I wanted to show a few pics of my huge Splash Barnevelder cockerel. I'll have to track down his exact age, but he's just starting his final juvenile moult.


next to a pure barnie pullet the same age.





Trisha

Very nice looking!

The fire is a great Idea! I might cook some stew and make a fire tonight.

 

[ronott1]

I got one of those yellow plastic chicken treat balls and this should be good as fill in that. I will open the bag and see how they like the scratch. They love meal worms and canned corn, but this is already on hand and the right price so am crossing fingers they like this treat.
OK Ron. Good info. I'll have to go research half of the ingredients you list

. I appreciate the freezer bag idea. Have room in our garage freezer and that frees up space in the garbage can where it is currently parked. The little rascals I have are downright disappointed when I show up without treats. I limit them to once a day as I want them to eat their starter as primary fuel.

Debs_flock posted the treat ingredients. I like them too and may start that too. Mine get BOSS and Cat food in the afternoon. I think mixing it together along with calcium is a great idea!

 

[Flowers of Abba]

It should, it's the barring in the mother that is the key. The coloring of the barring I wouldn't think would make a difference. I would put her back with the flock, but keep an eye on her. Glad she's doing better! As long as the right hatching eggs make it to the right place, I wouldn't think they'd care what was written on them. Mareks is a huge issue on the East coast from what I understand from other breeders I talk with. It is around and most flocks have probably been exposed to it through wild birds. There is a great Sticky on vaccinating for Mareks. The issue IMO is that the vaccination keeps you from seeing the symptoms, so you could have a bird that is a carrier, but you won't know it. Deb is correct in that if you let a bird recover from Mareks, it will be a carrier for future birds. It does not pass through the egg to offspring, though they can contract it from carrier birds, or the environment. All of your birds have likely already been exposed as it is passed through dander and it can even blow in the wind. So it can travel on your clothes/shoes to your other coops. Many breeders, myself included, have chosen to breed for resistance. I will not vaccinate for it, as I have yet to see any evidence that the vaccination does anything other than mask the symptoms. While I have never had any signs of Mareks in my flocks, if I ever do see one with symptoms of it, I will cull that bird. Any that do not contract it will be stronger and pass that immunity on to their offspring. You build a stronger flock this way, but the key is you cannot ever let a bird recover from it - as they will remain a carrier. I know several breeders that breed in this manner and it works well for them. Here is the Sticky on the Mareks vaccine: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/39918/mareks-vaccine/0_50

Over the years the more I've learned about how vaccines are cultured and their additives the more I wish I had opted out with my first few children. So why over vaccinate out pets?! It only creates carriers , confuses our ability to provide health care by messin with symptoms , AND injecting mercury , alternate DNA .... Into a food source is chancy to say the least. I like your stance with your flock. Bravo!

Wow! Those are six productive hens!!!

I use scratch in my daily treat mix. I take a couple of scoop of scratch, a half scoop each of BOSS, calf manna, rabbit pellets and a small scoop of cat food and oyster shell. I mix that together and throw 1-3 handfuls to each pen (depends on number of birds). That way everyone comes running and it gives me a chance to observe all my birds every day. It might take you a heck of a long time to go through 50# of scratch with 3 chickens. You could bag up 3/4 of it into Ziploc bags and put them in the freezer. Then just get out a bag at a time. That way it won't go rancid. That's what I do with all of my baking flour, since I buy it 50#'s at a time. A one gallon bag holds about 5#'s, it should be about the same with scratch.

Our 50# flour makes it 3wks! Ahh empty nest in .... 20 years MAYBE! We use scratch primarily in the winter to get them out in the stinking snow instead of pooping in the coop all day;-) makes wonderful chic tv! When is this weather going to pass?We are having a rough time making any plans. I can't even see the mountains out back!

 

[debs_flock]

I can't believe it's raining like this in late June...not a thunder storm....a real rain like in April. I almost want to start a fire in the fireplace, LOL.

I thought about starting a fire yesterday!

Wow, look at the legs on that boy!

Quote:
Yeah, I didn't think my name was Ron, LOL

Grandma's Basket, BOSS= black oil sunflower seeds. You can get any of the treat ingredients at the feedstore.

I buy so many different kinds of flours, I store it all in bags in the garage freezer (rice too), other than I always keep 5# each of AP & bread flour in the house. I keep all my bird seed in the freezer too, keeps it fresh and I don't get moths.

 

[tls_ranch]

I can't believe it's raining like this in late June...not a thunder storm....a real rain like in April. I almost want to start a fire in the fireplace, LOL. The birds are loving it though...most are out in the rain getting soaking wet and "mud" bathing in the wet dirt

. I wanted to show a few pics of my huge Splash Barnevelder cockerel. I'll have to track down his exact age, but he's just starting his final juvenile moult. next to a pure barnie pullet the same age. Trisha

Very nice looking! The fire is a great Idea! I might cook some stew and make a fire tonight.

Thanks I wasn't planning on keeping a splash this year, but he has such great size. I don't have all the ingredients for stew, but I think I will cook a good " hearty" meal of steak n potatoes for dinner. Tomorrow I will probably cook some of the trout we caught fishing. Trisha

 

[Grandmas Basket]

Wow, look at the legs on that boy!


Yeah, I didn't think my name was Ron, LOL

Grandma's Basket, BOSS= black oil sunflower seeds. You can get any of the treat ingredients at the feedstore.

I buy so many different kinds of flours, I store it all in bags in the garage freezer (rice too), other than I always keep 5# each of AP & bread flour in the house. I keep all my bird seed in the freezer too, keeps it fresh and I don't get moths.

Ah, well, I'm true to type today. Am known for running down list of kids' names before (or if ever) getting to the right one

Chicken brain strikes me frequently! Thanks for the definitions. I don't imagine the chicks would mind the moths, but they get into everything and would drive me crazy. I also store nuts in the freezer and they keep fresh for as long as I need them.