Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Lacy Blues]

I could be wrong but I think it is 4-5 adult birds per.

I have an order of 20 on the way. I'll probably need more but this will get the chicks started and I should be able to hopefully put my hens on them. The cocks in separate cages have their own water dishes and though it would be ideal to have the nipple waterer, I'll get them next.

 

[colburg]

Regarding the recent animal protein conversation,

Yesterday we found a gopher in one of our traps so we decided to feed it to the chickens. I skinned about 3/4 of it, not messing with the feet or head, and tossed it to the chickens. Like anything else we throw at them, they ran at it like crazy. Then they just looked at it, pecked a couple times, then went back to life as normal. Not one bite was taken, and 4 hours later, it was in the same spot. The gopher was dead for 3 hours at the most because rigor hadn't set in yet.

Do chickens not like gopher? Or did I miss a step in there? I don't understand why they didn't devour it. I remember Fred talking about his winter job as a young-un was to obtain animal protein for the chickens. Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I think he just skinned em and threw them to the chickens.

I've seen them go nuts over mice so they will eat dead things.

Any help filling in the blanks would be helpful,
Thanks,

 

[colburg]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have an off-topic question for some people I can trust. Several people on this thread have cattle experience so this question isn't a complete shot in the dark on this thread. Anyone can PM with answers if need be.

We have a Jersey mama cow with her second calf, 1 month old, and a dogie, 1.5 months old on her, and we still get 1 gal of milk each morning. I got a phone call asking if I wanted another dogie yesterday, but I'm hesitiant to put a 3rd calf on her. Does anyone know if a jersey can handle 3 calves plus give us a quart to 1/2 gal per day. We're willing to sacrifice some milk in the short term if it's doable. The two calves are currently being pulled off at night and are put back on mama all day from morning till sunset.

We've done some quick research on this, but a trusted answer would be preffered.

colburg

 

[subhanalah]

Regarding the recent animal protein conversation,

Yesterday we found a gopher in one of our traps so we decided to feed it to the chickens. I skinned about 3/4 of it, not messing with the feet or head, and tossed it to the chickens. Like anything else we throw at them, they ran at it like crazy. Then they just looked at it, pecked a couple times, then went back to life as normal. Not one bite was taken, and 4 hours later, it was in the same spot. The gopher was dead for 3 hours at the most because rigor hadn't set in yet.

Do chickens not like gopher? Or did I miss a step in there? I don't understand why they didn't devour it. I remember Fred talking about his winter job as a young-un was to obtain animal protein for the chickens. Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I think he just skinned em and threw them to the chickens.

I've seen them go nuts over mice so they will eat dead things.

Any help filling in the blanks would be helpful,
Thanks,

maybe they were just distrustful of the new food? My chickens won't eat something until I've offered it to them several times.

 

[brahmabreeder]

If you are taking about chicken nipples I'm not sure why you had a problem. I have hundreds of chickens and I use no other waterers other than the nipples... Any in temporary show cages are on bottles, the rest are either on the bottom of buckets, 4" pvc waterers, or tubing waterers in the breeding pens. As long as you have enough nipples for the size flock you shouldn't have a problem.
I can't imagine watering poultry any other way. I don't have to worry about clean water or about them ever running out. Best poultry invention EVER!

Maybe I didn't have enough? I don't know, but I think I'll stick with the old fashioned kind.

 

[Arielle]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have an off-topic question for some people I can trust. Several people on this thread have cattle experience so this question isn't a complete shot in the dark on this thread. Anyone can PM with answers if need be.

We have a Jersey mama cow with her second calf, 1 month old, and a dogie, 1.5 months old on her, and we still get 1 gal of milk each morning. I got a phone call asking if I wanted another dogie yesterday, but I'm hesitiant to put a 3rd calf on her. Does anyone know if a jersey can handle 3 calves plus give us a quart to 1/2 gal per day. We're willing to sacrifice some milk in the short term if it's doable. The two calves are currently being pulled off at night and are put back on mama all day from morning till sunset.

We've done some quick research on this, but a trusted answer would be preffered.

colburg

Often the girls will increase their production to meet the needs-- ie a cow milked 2 times a day produces less than milked 3 times a day. ANd in also depends on how much the girl can produce as her personal limit. You are likely to give up that gallon to the 3rd calf eventually.

I"m not much help in giving a definitive answer. You are definitely near to maxing her out.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: stewing it can help too

 

[RedRidge]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have an off-topic question for some people I can trust. Several people on this thread have cattle experience so this question isn't a complete shot in the dark on this thread. Anyone can PM with answers if need be.

We have a Jersey mama cow with her second calf, 1 month old, and a dogie, 1.5 months old on her, and we still get 1 gal of milk each morning. I got a phone call asking if I wanted another dogie yesterday, but I'm hesitiant to put a 3rd calf on her. Does anyone know if a jersey can handle 3 calves plus give us a quart to 1/2 gal per day. We're willing to sacrifice some milk in the short term if it's doable. The two calves are currently being pulled off at night and are put back on mama all day from morning till sunset.

We've done some quick research on this, but a trusted answer would be preffered.

colburg

This is a huge variable from animal to animal but... My opinion, fwiw... Your calves are still young yet and I wouldn't want to take a chance on depriving them as their intake requirements pick up over the next few months. A newborn will drink a gallon and a half a day so. .. doesn't sound like you have enough extra to allow for propper growth.

 

[hellbender]

This is a huge variable from animal to animal but... My opinion, fwiw... Your calves are still young yet and I wouldn't want to take a chance on depriving them as their intake requirements pick up over the next few months. A newborn will drink a gallon and a half a day so. .. doesn't sound like you have enough extra to allow for propper growth.

I totally agree, however if you have access to goat milk or ore willing to supplement with high quality calf-milk replacer, it's very doable. As always...JMHO

 

[RedRidge]

This is a huge variable from animal to animal but... My opinion, fwiw... Your calves are still young yet and I wouldn't want to take a chance on depriving them as their intake requirements pick up over the next few months. A newborn will drink a gallon and a half a day so. .. doesn't sound like you have enough extra to allow for propper growth.

I totally agree, however if you have access to goat milk or ore willing to supplement  with high quality calf-milk replacer, it's very doable.  As always...JMHO

I guess I am forced to agree... bluh! LOL
But I can't agree without saying that I milk only cattle and sheep... You couldn't pay me enough to own a goat or to drink goats milk - is just gross. There is no better milk as far as taste or quality than sheep's milk imo but... We like butter so I milk A2/A2 cows too. ;-) (admittedly a bias opinion from the person who owned the first licensed sheep dairy in the southeast and who knows how much hellbender loves to banter. ROFL)