Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[getaclue]

Now you're just rubbing my face in it. LOL! You know I can't get it here. The man I bought my chickens from feeds them the Tucker Milling brand, but he's on the Florida/Alabama line. I've been wanting them to sell it here for years, but they don't.

 

[speckledhen]

Now you're just rubbing my face in it. LOL! You know I can't get it here. The man I bought my chickens from feeds them the Tucker Milling brand, but he's on the Florida/Alabama line. I've been wanting them to sell it here for years, but they don't.

Sorry! I can't imagine it's the feed that is at fault for any crop issues. It always smells fresh, never like anything "added", rarely ever dusty at all. But, my co-op gets new shipments every Thursday and April tries to keep on top of things. Tucker Milling has paper bags, which I like because you can tell if they've been wet. Anyway, I've fed this almost exclusively for a dozen years, only getting a bag of Faithway feed when they were out of the Tucker Milling. Faithway is not bad, but it usually has a lot more dust in it. I like the mini pellets for all the birds, not just bantams.

 

[getaclue]

I doubt it's the feed, unless something radical has changed with it. Maybe some granite grit? I'm not sure that will help either, but it might.

 

[speckledhen]

I doubt it's the feed, unless something radical has changed with it. Maybe some granite grit? I'm not sure that will help either, but it might.

There is an entire mound of granite grit outside in the remainder of the paver base left from the construction of the barn, plus we live on a big rock, tons of grit of every kind imaginable, including granite, so they have access to lots of grit. I do put grit in Snow and Amanda's feed since they can't get out to get their own, but when we get that 13 grain scratch, it also contains its own grit. I have almost cut them off from that lately, though, so they'll eat more of the higher protein feed. I just have no idea what the cause might be, been racking my brain.

 

[getaclue]

At this point, I too am stumped. They get the best of everything, and your birds typically do very well until they get way on up in years. Even then, they normally only get "old age" issues. Could a sluggish crop be genetic with them? That's about all that's left.

 

[speckledhen]

At this point, I too am stumped. They get the best of everything, and your birds typically do very well until they get way on up in years. Even then, they normally only get "old age" issues. Could a sluggish crop be genetic with them? That's about all that's left.

Cheryl, I'm about to that conclusion now. My Blue Orps had a genetic predisposition to pendulous crop and, hence, all-round crop issues. It did pass on to daughters. Seems males rarely have those issues unless maybe their hearts are failing, so not truly a crop issue, per se, for those males. For instance, Atlas, Bash, Hector, Suede, Isaac, Rex, Deacon, Aubrey, Spike, etc, none ever had crop issues. The ones who were dying like Angus (D'Anver) and Xander got impacted crops because their systems were failing. Angus seemed to have a heart issue. Xander was just, I guess, at the end of his life for a bantam Cochin.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, it seems Maddie has been laying and I didn't know it. I thought it was her mother. Her eggs are very much like Jill's. She was separated today and laid an egg, which is how I know she's laying, finally. Hers are egg-shaped and Jane's are smaller and more round.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hey that's a different avatar photo.

 

[speckledhen]

Hey that's a different avatar photo.

Very observant, Lisa. Yup, I may just change it all the time. I'm feel spunky in my old age, LOL.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Very observant, Lisa. Yup, I may just change it all the time. I'm feel spunky in my old age, LOL.

You should. You are doing okay . Me, not so much.