Dixie Chicks

[Amberjem]

I'll take a row of pictures with the next batch.

I only do small batches...

awesome thanks so much how many chickens do you have? ...thats kinda how I was going to do the sprouting as well keep it small it's only going to be a suppliment not the main source of food for them.....have you sprouted any other kind of sprouts for your girls besides barley?

 

[Beer can]

ok I am feel totally ignorant in asking this however............when I go to my local feed store they say there is no intermediate feed between chick starter and layer.........I thought there was a grower pellet?

I used grower 'crumble' it's like broken up pellets. I'll have to come back later to explain what I plan on doing this summer to cut costs, the wife is shutting down the wifi. She says that our oldest daughter and me are getting lazy and she is going to punish us with no wifi. Right now I just feed a mix of layer pallet and cracked corn and scraps. No oyster shell and their shells are still nice.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Poisonous? Really? I have read that the stalks can cause crop impaction... jut like grass can... But toxic... Hmmm...

There is one concern that I would have and that is Alfalfa is baled in the field.... during the time it is drying (Alfalfa must be dried to around 15 percent moisture before it can be baled) during the drying time they spray an organic preservative on the hay... Remember Horses and cows eat this and mostly their digestive systems are just as delicate as chickens. The preservative keeps molds from taking hold. but its slightly acidic... I have seen horses with peeling skin around their muzzles.... Fresh hay bale just cracked open.

there are alot of horse people in the midwest and east who dont believe in feeding alfafla either. Of course they have good pasture or a good selection of Grass Hays to feed. Alfalfa does not do well in wet rainy climates. the bales can mold and you cannot feed moldy Alfalfa.

So it depends on the experience the people have had with Alfalfa. Here its dry and very very good. If you buy a bale and open it and find mold in it.... the feed store will replace it without question.

I have never found a moldy bale.

I hope that explains why there would be diverse opinions. But if you are in an area that feeds lots of Alfalfa to their horses I would say go for it.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

I haven't seen the point in getting separate feed for the chicks. It's mainly aimed towards commercial production where you try to get the birds to reach a productive state as quickly as possible. For most back yard chicken keepers it rally doesn't matter if it takes a month longer for the bird to start laying, and it might even be beneficial for the birds health to not grow up so quickly. So our chicks just get the same stuff all of the others do too. Of course, layer feed isn't good for chicks, so that should be avoided, but flock raiser is probably fine for everyone. At least that's how I see it.

You know you are right.... When I raised chicks in the house under a lamp though I fed chick feed.... Its ground finer and has a little more protien.... I NEVER use medicated feed of any kind.

But out in the yard with a broody hen I just let the hen feed the chicks.... there really was no difference between the rate they grew.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Pellets often times have molasis in them to help with the pelletization.... All good. I take it you are going to ferment them....? Horse pellets come in different sizes. from about an inch long down to mini sizes which are about a quarter inch long... tell em you are feeding goats.... LOL.

The nice part about using pellets is they have ingredient information on a lable.... Like I said if they are good for horses you are good to go. Horses depend on the same kind of digestive system that chickens do.... they just chew their food differentlyl.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I will take a look at the pig feeder thanks. I still need to take a really good look at your feeder as well.

deb

 

[Peep_Show]

Chicks here are started on medicated feed, then switched to flock raiser/grower crumbles, all free choice. At about that switching time they get bird grit which gradually gets switched up to chicken grit as their size grows. Soon as they're on grit I start giving them the chicken extras -- hulled millet, ground scratch -- until they're big enough to eat non-processed grains whole.

Right now they're at POL (any day now). I've been gradually adding organic layer pellets to their feed. They get snackie visits twice a day for scratch mixed with whatever -- ricotta cheese, oatmeal made with whey, kitchen scraps, the treat ball with lettuce and a burger bun -- in the morning and then at night they get to enjoy an ear of fresh corn.

Going to visit the coop is amusing because there's always one bird on the roost that sends out the word I'm on my way, and then there's the riot at the door. Nice to be SO wanted!

 

[Amberjem]

Poisonous? Really? I have read that the stalks can cause crop impaction... jut like grass can... But toxic... Hmmm...

There is one concern that I would have and that is Alfalfa is baled in the field.... during the time it is drying (Alfalfa must be dried to around 15 percent moisture before it can be baled) during the drying time they spray an organic preservative on the hay... Remember Horses and cows eat this and mostly their digestive systems are just as delicate as chickens. The preservative keeps molds from taking hold. but its slightly acidic... I have seen horses with peeling skin around their muzzles.... Fresh hay bale just cracked open.

there are alot of horse people in the midwest and east who dont believe in feeding alfafla either. Of course they have good pasture or a good selection of Grass Hays to feed. Alfalfa does not do well in wet rainy climates. the bales can mold and you cannot feed moldy Alfalfa.

So it depends on the experience the people have had with Alfalfa. Here its dry and very very good. If you buy a bale and open it and find mold in it.... the feed store will replace it without question.

I have never found a moldy bale.

I hope that explains why there would be diverse opinions. But if you are in an area that feeds lots of Alfalfa to their horses I would say go for it.

deb

ahhh that would make sense and if it had molded and they didnt notice or something could cause a toxic like reaction so they stuck it on bad to eat list perhaps I dont know..........I was surprised when I saw it listed as bad...but as I said I have seen mixed knowledge some say its good some say it's bad maybe it's because of the reasons you said I dunno I just know as someone trying to research n gather info its frustrating as all heck............of course as I am sure we all know sources can be good or bad just depends on who is sharing the knowledge...

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: What brand does your feed store carry?
Purina makes StartnGrow (18% protein) that they recommend feeding chicks until they are laying age (or butchering age if male) and then switch them to Layena (16% and extra calcium). They also make Flock Raiser which is good if you want a bit more protein (20%) or have a mixed flock. Ask what they carry besides chicken feed. They may have a mixed flock feed that will work for you.

I feed Purina Startena which is a 30% gamebird (meant for quail, turkeys, pheasants) starter in crumble form. I feed this free choice to my whole flock. I also feed fermented grains/seeds, sprouted grains/seeds, homegrown mealworms, store bought freeze dried mealworms and any other scraps from the kitchen at least once a day. I keep oyster shell free choice and they have grit in the coarse sand that is In the two runs (and the gravel driveway when it isn't covered in snow

). If I find frozen eggs or manage to crack/break one while collecting or getting them into the house, I will scramble it/them and feed it back to the flock.

Quote: Many feed or pet supply stores will carry alfalfa cubes. They are small compressed cubes of alfalfa made for bunnies, I think. I have rehydrated them and put out with my fermented grains/seeds but they weren't a big hit with my chickens. They ate them but prefer the sprouted grains/seeds for green food.

I have a friend that raises alfalfa hay and has goats. There are always plenty of "fines" (the small leaves that fall off the stems and onto the ground) that she lets me have if I bring a 5 gallon bucket over and scoop them up. I have stirred these into the fermented grains just before taking it out and feeding the chickens. They seem to like it better than the cubes......but they are spoiled little buggers

I wouldn't put the alfalfa in the ferment until time to feed, I've read that some tried it and it stank......same with feeds that contain fishmeal....don't ferment those....stick with grains/seeds or pellets/crumble/mash for fermenting.

 

[Amberjem]

I used grower 'crumble' it's like broken up pellets. I'll have to come back later to explain what I plan on doing this summer to cut costs, the wife is shutting down the wifi. She says that our oldest daughter and me are getting lazy and she is going to punish us with no wifi. Right now I just feed a mix of layer pallet and cracked corn and scraps. No oyster shell and their shells are still nice.

I am using crumble as well.. I figured it would cause less stress when they went from chick to layer as they were use to the crumble already..and so I did crumble layer instead of big pellets............