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

[qball53]

If I were to guess FEED grade would apply to feeding of livestock and FOOD grade would be for human consumption.

 

[Lazarus718]

If I were to guess FEED grade would apply to feeding of livestock and FOOD grade would be for human consumption.

Right...the question is if you can use FEED grade as you would FOOD grade? I bought the one to use on my chickens already and was thinking about dumping it on my veggies to get rid of a bug plague. Consensus right now is that it will be ok to do so.

 

[Kassaundra]

Right...the question is if you can use FEED grade as you would FOOD grade? I bought the one to use on my chickens already and was thinking about dumping it on my veggies to get rid of a bug plague. Consensus right now is that it will be ok to do so.

If your aim is to kill squash bugs DE won't touch the adult ones, may kill some nymphs. I have battled squash bugs for years they are hard to control, this year has been my most successful and what I have been doing is taking a water hose and a couple of chickens. I spray the base of the plant around the stems and ground, the squash bugs HATE the water and climb up to get away from it where they are easy "pickins" for the chickens. I have almost no squash bugs left.

 

[binders]

What a great idea!!

 

[bruceh]

i was working out of town. don't want you all to think i ran away. i catching up.

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome back, Bruce!

 

[stonykill]

question for Walt unless anyone else is familiar with Runners. My broody born Runner ducks and drakes were hatched on May 25th. So they are slightly less than 3 months old. One of the young drakes in particular is feeling his oats already. Sooner than I thought. Is this about the normal timeframe? My Pekins took longer. They are fawn and white Runners if that matters.

 

[fowlman01]

question for Walt unless anyone else is familiar with Runners. My broody born Runner ducks and drakes were hatched on May 25th. So they are slightly less than 3 months old. One of the young drakes in particular is feeling his oats already. Sooner than I thought. Is this about the normal timeframe? My Pekins took longer. They are fawn and white Runners if that matters.

Runner duck males are the most active in mating than any duck I have kept here. If you don't have enough females they will kill some. If you have a lake it helps because Runner males got their name for a reason. They move pretty quickly especially when they flap their wings, so even on range a female will not be able to outrun him. I have some born about that time and mine look like adults...slightly shorter adults......so I am guessing the hormones are raging. I have plenty of females so I usually don't have a problem unless one decides he is goiing to be monogamous .......doesn't happen often.

Walt

 

[stonykill]

Runner duck males are the most active in mating than any duck I have kept here. If you don't have enough females they will kill some. If you have a lake it helps because Runner males got their name for a reason. They move pretty quickly especially when they flap their wings, so even on range a female will not be able to outrun him. I have some born about that time and mine look like adults...slightly shorter adults......so I am guessing the hormones are raging. I have plenty of females so I usually don't have a problem unless one decides he is goiing to be monogamous .......doesn't happen often.

Walt

yes they look like maybe 1 inch shorter adults. I have 3 males 5 females. Should I look at getting rid of 1 male? I will of course watch them carefully. Just wondering what you think of the numbers. Either that or I'll look into getting a few more females.

 

[fowlman01]

yes they look like maybe 1 inch shorter adults. I have 3 males 5 females. Should I look at getting rid of 1 male? I will of course watch them carefully. Just wondering what you think of the numbers. Either that or I'll look into getting a few more females.

I always like at least one backup male, with your ratio I would get rid of one male. You will be able to tell if the female is getting beat up to a dangerous degree.

Walt