"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[TerriLaChicks]

Someone on a local poultry FB page posted that she read today in the LA market bulletin that someone in Bossier City is giving away his 50 peacocks to good homes. The market bulletin can be viewed online if you don't get it in the mail.

Seriously? I just got mine last week & I didn't see that ad. The online version right now is the 2-7 edition - they haven't updated it yet. Post that ad if you find it, please (not that I'm interested - I have enough peas & breeding season just around the corner; just curious as to who it is).

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Hey everyone! Just located this thread and am happy to see so many enthusiasts in my neck of the bayou.

I live in River Ridge (New Orleans suburb) and just got my first chicks about 4 weeks ago. I'm now the proud mom of 5 silkie chicks ages 9 weeks and 11 weeks. I'm totally smitten with them!

I'm on a steep learning curve so look forward to words of wisdom from you experts out there as I have questions.

don't know how wise the words are, but we do know how to talk here!

 

[JohnnyxRex]

Hey everyone! Just located this thread and am happy to see so many enthusiasts in my neck of the bayou.

I live in River Ridge (New Orleans suburb) and just got my first chicks about 4 weeks ago. I'm now the proud mom of 5 silkie chicks ages 9 weeks and 11 weeks. I'm totally smitten with them!

I'm on a steep learning curve so look forward to words of wisdom from you experts out there as I have questions.

Welcome. I'll be eager to hear how the Silkies do in LA. I like how they look, but we go through 5 or 6 large eggs every day at breakfast so I got a full size breed first. My little sister loves them, she calls them "afro-chickens".

 

[sawyerashton]

Question for those of you who raise rabbits:

Is it worth it? Just raising them for your own meat and not selling any?

The reason I am interested is because I have Crohn's Disease. Rabbit is supposed to be the most easily digested meat there is. I can no longer eat pork and can really only eat deer (when I can get it), chicken and very lean ground beef. I'm paying over $6 a pound for ground beef. I'm interested in getting 1 buck and 2 does to produce my own rabbit meat. I would grind most of the meat (more versatile). I have my 4 bared rocks for egg production and tick control.

The other options would be to get some cornish x or keep paying for the lean beef. I know I would prefer the mess of rabbits over the mess from 25 cornish x at a time.

Just not sure how economical it would be either way.

Any input?

 

[Celie]

If you breed your does 5 times a year, as I do and have 10 does per litter, that is 50 offspring @ 3 1/2 # or more processed @12 weeks (fryers) so each doe produces 150 # of processed meat per year. That is counting bone, like you would buy in the store for $6 a #, when you can find it. I personally get 11 to 13 in most litters. I do not breed mine during the hottest part of the summer, Mid July to Mid September, when the temps can go into the triple digits here. Meat rabbits need to be raised in cages off the ground, so they do not get worms in hot weather. The are suppose to produce 1 # of meat for every 3 #s of feed, but I have never measured. I feed mine all the feed they want while they have young nursing and the young the same way until they are 12 weeks old. During the Winter months, I also give them a good quality horse hay which for me is Bahaya and Bermuda blend. This is for fiber. In the Spring, Summer and Fall, I also feed a lot of fresh green grass and veggies from our 100% organic garden. They need clean fresh water every day. I put 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar per gallon to help them develop probiotics in their lower gut for overall health. I had a lot of health issues before I started growing my own food, including uncontrolled blood pressure, heart problems and looking at possibly the big C, now no medication required. I no longer eat pork or shellfish, either. We mostly eat Chicken, Rabbit, turkey and occasionally beef and lamb. When I buy beef, I get a very lean roast, ask the butcher to trim all and dispose of all fat possible and grind it for me. Still the leanest beef is still 7% fat in the marbling, so the leanest it can be, according to the butchers is 93% lean ! Most people start out with 2 does and a buck and work from there. The buck will eat very little compared to the does and kits, and actually should not be allowed to get overweight. During the summer months, both does and bucks will lighten up weight wise with more fresh greens and veggies. I always have extra cucumbers which they find refreshing in hot weather. I find rabbits cost less per pound to raise than chickens or turkeys. Someone is at my door, but if you want more info, PM me anytime.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I switched them to a new box tonight. Some of the smart ones figured out how to get themselves trapped in the feeder.

I have to say that you have added really nice input to the thread. I'm happy you're here!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Howdy doody marnold and

and the La-yers thread.

I don't know of any of the ones you asked about but surely with all the gabbing and carrying-on that goes on here on the La-yers thread, someone will know or find out. We are a communicative bunch on here(to say the least) LOL, you know what they say about us La-yers "Two's company and Three's a PARTY" LOL

Speaking of communicative bunches I got to meet a couple of the La-yers in person this weekend I got to meet Terri finally (already had the pleasure of meeting Jim her husband before/good nice man) and I also got to meet Sandy(chickenbelle) and her crew also. I can say it was a pleasure to meet all ya'll good folk and put faces to names now and I'm sure they got an image (of me) that will forevermore be engraved in their minds LOL it's what I call a lasting impression, LOL

I could tell a tale of the adventures this weekend and still might yet esp. if I have enough request for it LOL I could probly make time. I got to finish my coffee now and get back to my chores this morning, takes me a while to make rounds each day I got a few heads to feed multiple times daily and getting more LOL this is new baby season and they eat a lot and often too.

Jeff

Please tell us!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Makes no sense - a responsible breeder would've wanted a necropsy just to be sure it wasn't anything genetic.

You know I was wondering if maybe she thought that if the necropsy showed something genetic that it might have an effect on all of the offspring going, who knows, how far back in her stock. Just a thought. But, I thought it odd she wouldn't allow the necropsy since she later said she really wanted to know why the pup died.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Since eggs and rabbits are symbols for fertility, what do they have to do with Pascal (passover) and Christ's Crucifixion?

Is that where the Easter Bunny came from? One of my new bunnies looked just like Peter Cottontail. CUTE!

 

[mbmess2003]

Hey everyone! Just located this thread and am happy to see so many enthusiasts in my neck of the bayou.

I live in River Ridge (New Orleans suburb) and just got my first chicks about 4 weeks ago. I'm now the proud mom of 5 silkie chicks ages 9 weeks and 11 weeks. I'm totally smitten with them!

I'm on a steep learning curve so look forward to words of wisdom from you experts out there as I have questions.

Lots of enablers here....just sayin'!