Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

Quote:
There is a reason they caution about the % of manna to feed. It is very high pro and giving too much can "burn them out"...in other words, it can have a real negative affect on them. High protein levels can damage kidneys, cause bumblefoot from gout, and cause ulceration in the bowel tissue. When you get ulcerations there, bacteria from the bowels can infect the bloodstream in a manner that is usually prevented in a healthy animal.

You might want to slow it down on the manna if you bought it for benefiting your flock's health.

Feeding 85 birds and only getting 20 or less eggs, even at this time of year, is a strain on the ol' pocketbook...culling would start to look real sweet to me if I were in your shoes.

 

[loanwizard]

There is a reason they caution about the % of manna to feed. It is very high pro and giving too much can "burn them out"...in other words, it can have a real negative affect on them. High protein levels can damage kidneys, cause bumblefoot from gout, and cause ulceration in the bowel tissue. When you get ulcerations there, bacteria from the bowels can infect the bloodstream in a manner that is usually prevented in a healthy animal.

You might want to slow it down on the manna if you bought it for benefiting your flock's health.

Feeding 85 birds and only getting 20 or less eggs, even at this time of year, is a strain on the ol' pocketbook...culling would start to look real sweet to me if I were in your shoes.

The Manna feed is only going to be given periodically, not every feeding. I was just looking at it as a protein boost and to look at the feather effect. Besides that, the math.... 1-5 scoops = 20% 1/2 to 5 scoops= 10%..... what do I do, feed them then hand feed 1 pellet to each bird lol?

Point taken, just being a smart aleck.

Remember, when I bought these pullets (50) they were said to be hatched in March....I am thinking more like May birds which would be October or November layers. Thanksgiving may be a lot of butchering going on around here.....

Incidentally, they freerange so they are not getting a huge amount of feed, about 4-5 scoops per day, enough to fill one section of gutter.

 

[Beekissed]

Yeah, with the manna, a little dab will do ya'. Hot stuff.

 

[Mountain Momma]

You are probably right!

And I would do that very thing if I felt it was right and proper to take advantage of the slow thinkers of this world...but I don't. Those poor folks have enough hurdles to cross in this ol' world without me "duping the city rubes" while they go along.

Well, coming from a city chick who was totally intimidated by the idea of fermentation 24 hours ago $20.00 bucks seems cheap to learn something so valuable. I wouldnt feel guilty about it at all. In fact if I could learn every lesson I need to learn for 20.00 bucks I'd take out a student loan at get busy. lol

 

[armorfirelady]

I used to be able to go up to the vegetable guys in the local supermarket, while they were stripping leaves and culling ugly veggies from the display and ask for the scraps for my chicks- they'd usually give me a large box, maybe 10 or 20 pounds worth. After about a year the store instituted a policy stopping that (it turns out a few other chicken people were doing the same). Now they sell boxes of day old veggies for $2.50 to $3.50. At first those boxes were mixed, (and cost less) but now they'll put all the eggplants in one box, all the radishes in another, so it's not worth getting. Still, occasionally I get lucky- a few weeks ago I got about 15 lbs of grapes for $1.99.

Other local supermarkets have policies against giving anything away, and they no longer throw the stuff in accessible dumpsters- they have big compactors out back.

Perhaps if you talk to a small local grocery store (not big corporate chains) you can convince them to give you a box of scrap once a week... they just throw the stuff out.

I tried doing this as well. One place the manager never seems to be there & thats who I need to speak with. And Wegmans when I asked told me that they donate the food to the food bank. Soooooo its off to the local growers to see what I can get. Just need to DO it & instead of procrastinating.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

For those folks who stress the fact that their birds don't like the taste..................... or what ever, if you feel they need it make them it eat it !!!! you have children right ?? you have young kids right !!! how did you get them to eat the food they didn't like. I hate to think you raised healthy children and can't get a stupid chicken with a brain the size of a Pea to eat CM LOL. Shoot you got your husbands to eat your burnt cooking when you got married right LOL. Mine like it and eat it whenever I decide to offer it, you know why................... because I told them to that's why LOL, there are way's to get them to eat what you want easy peezy. They don't like the taste Phooooy !!!!! Soooooo who cares it's good for them.......... ever heard that before LOL.

I know. Wayyyy behind in reading this thread. We HAD to eat what was on our plates. JUST EAT IT! or stand in the corner. I kind of liked the corner, actually. It was peaceful there and I like the feel of my own warm breath on my face. And it was better than hard cold dry peas. But I was 4 yrs old then.

Well, I read about a study done a couple of years now about the fact that they (whoever they are) can tell by DNA examination just who in the classroom will not like broccoli. 100% accuracy.

I did eat the carrots on my kid-day, but I'm telling you I wanted to upchuck every time. But I'm on the same page with you and BK here. Hate it when kids or cats (or now chickens) are conditioned to be finicky, pigmy-sized dinner table tyrants.

 

[chickenlover89]

I know. Wayyyy behind in reading this thread. We HAD to eat what was on our plates. JUST EAT IT! or stand in the corner. I kind of liked the corner, actually. It was peaceful there and I like the feel of my own warm breath on my face. And it was better than hard cold dry peas. But I was 4 yrs old then.

Well, I read about a study done a couple of years now about the fact that they (whoever they are) can tell by DNA examination just who in the classroom will not like broccoli. 100% accuracy.

I did eat the carrots on my kid-day, but I'm telling you I wanted to upchuck every time. But I'm on the same page with you and BK here. Hate it when kids or cats (or now chickens) are conditioned to be finicky, pigmy-sized dinner table tyrants.

X2, my chickens eat what I give them, if they don't want it then they have a problem on their hands, seriously, i LOVE my chickens, but I'm not going to let them decide they don't want the food I give them, then I go running around to every feed store buying everything I can find then give it to them to try eating just because they didn't like what I gave them.

 

[armorfirelady]

was it 50lb each or 50lb total? Im thinkin if it was each you could ship it to WV and Colorado and still make 10.00 per bag! Now that I know its more in WV I might store some too. Crazy. (not you, the situation)

50# each. I just got the receipt out. 50# blue seal layer pellet feed was $14.02 & 50# scratch was $11.40 (My friend works there & apparently the scratch is partial bag but I dont see any holes or taped up areas....its still in the car from when I bought it & looks full) I store it in the garage in large heavy duty tubs I bought. Nice & dry & no moisture in them & no critters can get into it.

 

[galanie]

I know. Wayyyy behind in reading this thread.  We HAD to eat what was on our plates.  JUST EAT IT!  or stand in the corner.  I kind of liked the corner, actually.  It was peaceful there and I like the feel of my own warm breath on my face.  And it was better than hard cold dry peas. But I was 4 yrs old then.

Well, I read about a study done a couple of years now about the fact that they (whoever they are) can tell by DNA examination just who in the classroom will not like broccoli.   100% accuracy.

I did eat the carrots on my kid-day, but I'm telling you I wanted to upchuck every time.  But I'm on the same page with you and BK here.   Hate it when kids or cats (or now chickens) are conditioned to be finicky, pigmy-sized dinner table tyrants.

I believe it. I learned from my own kids that some like things and some like others. My son would gobble down every bit of that nasty baby food spinach you threw his way, and my daughter to this day won't eat the stuff.

Though I didn't force them to clean their plates ( after learning that it's an impossible thing to really do anyway), they were required to eat at least one bite of everything. At least one, every time. The chickens? PFFFT. Better eat what you get!

 

[Missa Chickabee]

X2, my chickens eat what I give them, if they don't want it then they have a problem on their hands, seriously, i LOVE my chickens, but I'm not going to let them decide they don't want the food I give them, then I go running around to every feed store buying everything I can find then give it to them to try eating just because they didn't like what I gave them.

But...I have done that to keep someone I know happy.
No more. The lab results are in and it ain't pretty. Going to task with this.