Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

I don't have any neighbors!!!

I live on top of a mountain in West Virginia, 5 miles out a gravel and dirt road, with the closest neighbor over a mile away!!25 acres of my little piece of heaven. I MIGHT get about 10 vehicles a day going by but they're mostly 4-wheelers!

Yay for you!

I used to live WAY OUT THERE too but then I had a neighbor move in from the city. Thought he should have conditions like a city part, without ALL THAT NOISE though. Ugh. Good riddance to him. I now live way closer to another town several hours from him in another state, right next to an air base in a high noise zone. Right up my alley.

 

[Beekissed]

That's what everyone thinks,isn't it? That all WV-ins are kin to one another. I know places in the state where that is true, but those are small, insular communities in the mountainous regions. That could be said for most other states as well where small towns and rural life collide.

Well, all's quiet in the coop but no eggs in the nest. Tomorrow will be day two of imprisonment for the crime of nonlaying....I think I saw a hash mark on the stump in the coop, marking off the day. When I find a shiv made of a filed down corn cob, I'll know things are getting tense in the coop.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Bee you should expect a day or two of non-laying after changing up the pecking order the way you did.

 

[Beekissed]

I've had 8 mo. of nonlaying from these gals...I don't think a change in pecking order is going to be a big thing.

It's just their new excuse. After this it will be a broken toenail and the grieving process of the loss of the nail to consider. The week after that it may be that a piece of dust in the eye caused a lacrimal emergency that could halt the laying process for another week until the right tear production is restored.

 

[Lacy Blues]

 

[Triple Willow]

I've had 8 mo. of nonlaying from these gals...I don't think a change in pecking order is going to be a big thing.     It's just their new excuse.  After this it will be a broken toenail and the grieving process of the loss of the nail to consider.  The week after that it may be that a piece of dust in the eye caused a lacrimal emergency that could halt the laying process for another week until the right tear production is restored. 

Could call your sons and see if any of them still have their paintball guns...? hehehe I got 9 out of my 14 youngest pullets today. The 9 older ones were slacking, only 3 eggs! I believe the young group is around 24-26 weeks and the older around 36-38 weeks. I'm hoping egg size is bigger and more uniform come spring. I hope to sell some eggs!

Any of you guys selling eggs? How much do you get per dozen?

 

[Beekissed]

There's a thought!

Jon's birthday is coming up...he'd love to shoot some chickens with paintballs.

I used to sell eggs when I had chickens that would actually lay. In my area I could only get $2 a doz. as I was sitting in the middle of broiler and battery house hell where they gave whole, huge flats of irregular eggs away and the people there didn't care about egg health or quality. Even yet, I made quite a good bit of profit on egg sales, enough to defray feed costs and purchase replacements and even some left over for recreational purposes.

You'll have to see what the going price is in your area and top it by $.50...there is a curious thing with most humans on this planet wherein they feel if they pay more for something that it is automatically more desirable and worth more than the eggs down the road that are a little cheaper. Now, you can't go too high or you will lose the business of those who feel they are more practical...just that little jog up in price will get you more customers and they will feel like they are getting the better product.

I know...

but it's just human nature. It's not MY nature but it seems to be pretty normal for the rest of the world.

 

[BCMaraniac]

That's what everyone thinks,isn't it? That all WV-ins are kin to one another. I know places in the state where that is true, but those are small, insular communities in the mountainous regions. That could be said for most other states as well where small towns and rural life collide.

Well, all's quiet in the coop but no eggs in the nest. Tomorrow will be day two of imprisonment for the crime of nonlaying....I think I saw a hash mark on the stump in the coop, marking off the day. When I find a shiv made of a filed down corn cob, I'll know things are getting tense in the coop.

I got eleven eggs today that I would give you if I was close enough.....

My pullets are all in the mood.........

 

[Beekissed]

The only two layers I have are six years old and one of them is finishing up her molt, so she is on a break. Sad, isn't it? All these pretty, huge hens with red combs, wattles and all the right equipment...and the only ones working are the senior citizens. It's like a picture of the world today.

 

[armorfirelady]

I sell my eggs for $3 a dozen. I have a few co workers who buy them. I made enough all summer along with bottle returns to buy enough grains to get me hopefully to spring.

Out of 8 hens the only one laying is the youngest. Stella my BR. The 4 oldest just finished molting, the EE stopped in sept and then had her molt along with the EE/BCM mix & my BCM just started laying & laid maybe a dozen eggs & stopped cold turkey. No one is molting now but everyone but Stella has pale combs. Lazy girls.

Stella is my trouble maker but since she is laying I let it go. Her new trick is to jump on the gate when she sees someone or a car pulls in. Heck today she jumped on it when I was outside with the dogs. I asked her if she wanted to be a snack? She used to go fly into the yard when she first started doing it but didn't go further than 10 ft from the gate. I think she gave up on it when she realized no one else joined her

She can see into the kitchen window from her perch & is trying to figure a way to get to it. One of these days I am going to look out the window and find her perched on the windowsill