Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Triple Willow]

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

HA! That's cute. I bet she will be looking in at you from that kitchen windowsill one day. I had some geese that would knock on the front door. They fooled me several time, thinking somebody was here. Three dollars is not a bad price for a dozen. I wish I lived close to where those crazy folks pay $5/dozen. lol

 

[Triple Willow]

The last farm fresh eggs I bought were $2 a dozen from an Amish lady. They were in a run 24/7/365 so they were okay but not that great. They were better than store bought anyhow! I am wondering if I can advertise the added "flax/omega" thing and get $3 a dozen. I mentioned it to one person and it seemed to get their attention. I might ought to check with the health food stores and see what kind of deal I can strike up with them. Some of my mennonite neighbors use to sell to one of them.

 

[armorfirelady]

The last farm fresh eggs I bought were $2 a dozen from an Amish lady. They were in a run 24/7/365 so they were okay but not that great. They were better than store bought anyhow! I am wondering if I can advertise the added "flax/omega" thing and get $3 a dozen. I mentioned it to one person and it seemed to get their attention. I might ought to check with the health food stores and see what kind of deal I can strike up with them. Some of my mennonite neighbors use to sell to one of them.

I've thought of that but felt word of mouth would work for me. Well that and a poster at work they all know I only feed grains and let the girls range. The fact that the past 6 weeks they have had to buy store eggs that they say taste horrible compared to mine is a bonus. They haven't had my eggs in 6 weeks cuz only one hen laying and I wanted fresh eggs for Christmas cookies

 

[Triple Willow]

I've thought of that but felt word of mouth would work for me. Well that and a poster at work they all know I only feed grains and let the girls range. The fact that the past 6 weeks they have had to buy store eggs that they say taste horrible compared to mine is a bonus. They haven't had my eggs in 6 weeks cuz only one hen laying and I wanted fresh eggs for Christmas cookies

You could take one dozen in and auction it off! LOL What mix are you feeding? I'm feeding layer pellets, steam rolled oats, cracked corn and 10% flax.

 

[LindaB220]

And so ends the story of Toby. I prayed about this thing and had nothing but peace about this decision, no bad feelings in my gut or anything that would usually tell me that I'm making a mistake. God has given me a great peace about it and so I know that He was with me on this one. I saved some hackle and saddle feathers for my keepsake box.

Rest in Broth, Tobias!

A great tribute to an old buddy

 

[armorfirelady]

I feed mine oats, wheat, corn, flax, alfalfa pellets, Canadian peas and fish meal. Adds up to be about 16-17% protein. Plus meat at least once a week and veggies from the freezer. And yogurt once a month with garli, pumpkin seeds mad sunflower seeds and some cayenne pepper. Plus fresh herbs when I remember. Heck they don't care what in the yogurt as long as they can eat it lol

 

[Triple Willow]

I feed mine oats, wheat, corn, flax, alfalfa pellets, Canadian peas and fish meal. Adds up to be about 16-17% protein. Plus meat at least once a week and veggies from the freezer. And yogurt once a month with garli, pumpkin seeds mad sunflower seeds and some cayenne pepper. Plus fresh herbs when I remember. Heck they don't care what in the yogurt as long as they can eat it lol

Dang, your birds are eating good! How much fish meal and flax do you use? Do you ferment the alfalfa pellets too?

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

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. 

 

[LindaB220]

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.

You know, I checked Craigslist to see what's selling and as far as I can tell, nobody sells good grade 4-6 wk sexlinks (or anything for that matter). All I ever see is roosters 2+ yr at $10 and 2+ layers at $12. Now I see a market here (close to Shreveport) I was planning on buying White Dorkings to try to upgrade the breed and I hear they are tasty, but I believe I will put that on the backburner for a while and just try to get my layers ordered and ready by spring. I really like the golden comets and may buy my own breeding stock to produce them next year. White rocks, delawares, New Hampshires. What else? Light Sussex will amp up the flavor for my own eating. And my capon tools will be here this week. Gonna be busy!!!

 

[Beekissed]

If you are selling to suburbanites you may sell more BOs and silkies than anything else. In fact, Bob Blosl had started breeding silkies because he was making so much money on them! To sell to folks wanting eggs, people usually breed and sell RIR and BAs around these parts...not sure how it is where you live.

Most people don't even know what WR or NH are, let alone a Del.