Kentucky people

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
LOL Ok, so when they hatch, I'll have to just see if I can find some that look more like the plymouth rocks - and hope I get lucky. Otherwise I might have to buy some pure breds, and I can mix in some of your dad's mutts with them.

The SLW that Cindy brought to me hasn't started to lay yet, either, and I would think she'd be old enough by now. Maybe they are late bloomers.

Do the Columbian Rocks have feathers on their feet? they might be Brahmas. They were pretty big birds, too, though, so I imagine mixing a little with those wouldn't be too bad.

I went to Day & Day today - had to get some chick starter for the babies when they come, I'm almost out (saw your ad there

) and I got some soybean meal to mix with the broiler babies feed. They didn't have Broiler Starter there, so I needed something to boost the protein levels in the chick starter. All the other poultry starter they had (turkey, game, etc...) was medicated, and I didn't want that.

One of the Amish guys near me said to give it to my laying hens (a little bit) also to boost their egg laying. Maybe this winter they can have some, but I don't think I would feed it all year round.

I need to start keeping a chicken diary so I know what works and what doesn't, LOL.

Well, got to go clean my kitchen.

Peace -
Meri

No the Columbian rocks don't have feathers. I was thinking they were Brahmas to start with, but no feathered feet. Now two of his white roosters have feathered legs, so I'm not sure what they are. I remember someone describing a big white chicken, that looked like a leghorn or rock, with feathers on its legs. It was a 'production #' something, but I can't remember what the # was. I think that's what they are, if only I could figure out what that is!

I didn't lose any birds today!!!

Well, technically I did, but I know where those are! Another BYCer came from Liberty and bought all the baby cochin mixes. Well, except 3. 2 are with my red hen (think I'm gonna call her Emma, she looks like an Emma), and the other one just got caught up in the mix! He goes to Sano a lot though, and I told him I was gonna take them there, if he still wants it.

Can you believe my dad thought he was gonna get the money for those chicks??? Just because they were cochin mixes?? Unbelievable!!! I have fed his hen ever since he got her, and I have fed these chicks ever since they hatched. He said so if the hen lays the egg, that don't make them mine?? Well, heck, the hen is more mine than his anyway!! If he wants to start doing that, he can start feeding the yard birds too. The stupid chicks that his game hen has are mine too, but I'm not gonna fight him for them. He borrowed the money to buy them, and never paid me back. Plus they have been running around the yard for 4 months at least, eating my birds feed. That makes them mine, right? It would in my book!! Like I said before... AGGRAVATING!!!

<edit> Plus, it was my roo that bred her, and my hen that has raised them, so that really makes them mine!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Well, the columbians are pretty, too. I don't mind having those.

Congrats on not losing any birds today

and sympathies for having a stubborn man to deal with.

I started a thread hoping someone had done Plymouth Rocks as meaties - so far Greyfields has given some good answers, and two others have argued that I should just buy Cornish Cross.

I don't want to buy Cornish Cross!!! That's the whole point.
I'm wondering if they even READ my posts before answering. Or maybe, to be fair, I am confusing when I write.

The whole point is to be self sustaining -I want to govern the playing field, I want to set the rules - not the hatcheries and the birds having to be butchered all at once at X time-frame.

If I wanted to buy meat chickens - I'd buy them at the dang grocery store.

It isn't about "organic", it isn't about "cost" (well, a little about cost), it's about the game!! I want to win the game, and if I have to buy chicks at 100 bucks per 50 birds (before I ever give them a bite of feed) I lose the game. If I have to count on the hatchery having them available, and count on them shipping them in a timely fashion, and counting on said birds arriving alive, then I lose the game, because I am giving up my own power to do it myself.

On the other hand, if I can "grow my own", if I can continue growing my own, if I can stagger hatches and control amount of birds hatched and grown out - then I win the game.

I definately intend to win the game

Peace -
Meri

 

[shelleyd2008]

The white rocks are considered a dual purpose breed, which makes them good for meat or eggs. I think a lot of people don't read the questions. I have posted some(ok, well, a LOT) and there are times when the people ask me questions about something I stated in the original post!! Just act like you are an idiot, and maybe then you'll get some good responses!!

You know what sucks the most about this stubborn man?? He is my FATHER, so I can't even get a divorce!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Looks like you're doing good!! These birds will most likely have different breed sires!!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I think the misconception is that I want the biggest and best bird for the buck. I may have added to the confusion in my first post, I admit that. But, in subsequent posts I tried to clarify a bit. The biggest and best bird for the buck would most likely be a Cornish Cross. Not what I want, though

Greyfields has told me there are other options, and yeah, I may go that route, but I want to try these first.

Mostly I began the thread to make sure that I wasn't TOTALLY wacked for wanting to try it, LOL. Not that that has stopped me before, but it's nice to get some encouragement now and then.

LOL My mom is a bit like that - which is why I live over 500 miles away from her now. She was gonna give me a heart attack if I had to live that close to her any longer.

Love her dearly, but she can be the biggest pain!!!

Peace -
Meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Looks like you're doing good!! These birds will most likely have different breed sires!!

LOL yeah, I'll have to see how the ones I have now will grow and fill out.

I have the soybean crumble to add to their starter for some extra protein - maybe I'll get a super chicken, ya just never know.

LOL -
Meri

 

[shelleyd2008]

The guy we got those pigeons off of said he fed the pigeons black beans mixed with their food for extra protein. Don't know if that would work for chickens though. You'd probably have to cook them.

Day&Day doesn't have broiler feed?? That's weird! It seems like they have everything. Are they out or they just can't get it? And they don't have any turkey/gamebird feed that is not medicated? I know their Flock raiser is 20% protein, and it's not medicated. It's also the same price as the chick starter. That's what I feed my ducks, guineas, and quail. Too bad I don't plan on eating them (ducks or guineas), they are pretty fat! The quail are pretty tiny, but I guess they are full grown. They won't be eaten for a long time! Need to increase my flock first! 3 will only tease me if they are as good as people say!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have heard of some people feeding their birds cat food to add protein. I don't think it is good for them, but if you're gonna eat most of them, it can't hurt them that much! Just seperate the ones you want to keep for breeding, and feed those differently.

I forgot to tell you. Two of my game hen's eggs have hatched! I guess that other hen was setting on them longer than we thought. The one with the really huge, dual-type air sac looks like it's dead. And the other two both have crooked toes. The older one's look like they might be straightening out, but the new one's feet are all curled up. I had to help it out of the shell. But the air sacs were about half the egg.
It's funny though. Looks like I'll have either a blue or dark blue splash OEG!!! Won't that be a sight! I hope it's a roo! Maybe I could start my own 'line'!!!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Nope, no broiler starter - and I'm pretty sure they had some this last spring. It could be that they just only have that in the spring when they do chicks. The other starter he said they carry year round. Everything else (except the flock raiser) was medicated (all the other starters, I mean).

I don't mind getting the soybean stuff, though, it is 35% protein, so I can add just a little and the bag will last me awhile. Plus I can give it added in to my other chickens during the winter if they need a boost. So, the chick starter at 18% plus the soybean should give me good enough protein content for meaties.

Peace -
Meri

 

[shelleyd2008]

Well, there aren't many people on here tonight, and the ones that are are mainly 'chatting', or asking questions that have been asked and answered about A MILLION times, so I am going to bed!!

Talk to you all tomorrow!!

Meri--Are you going to Sano this week? I think I have dad convinced on taking his eggs this time! He forgot about church yesterday, so he wasn't able to give most of them away like last week!!