"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[kuntrygirl]

Hi Louisiana chicken people.  I'm new to chickens and also fairly new to Louisiana.  Can you tell me if you vaccinate your chickens for fowlpox, and/or anything else? 
 

Hi and welcome to BYC. I have never vaccinated before but but would recommend that you do. Dry and wet pox is a monster. Protect your birds.

 

[Cadjien_De_Louisiane]

kyckling66 - Welcome to BYC!

 

[Celie]

I hear ya, growing up my maw maw and paw paw had chickens and they never dewormed them either. I guess I have parasitophobia lol. I have alot of money invested in my fowl and just dont want to lose my breeders to any illnesses. Honestly I just started using ACV this year, thinking about starting to make it myself. I have entertained the idea of using just that. I guess im trying to convince myself that ACV itself would be good enough. I also have been reading where garlic is good to

My chickens yolks are more orange when they get to free range.

I bought the first bottle for the mother, but you can make your own, I do, it's like sourdough started, you divide it into several bottles, add more apple juice or apple sour and let it ferment to make more, by the time you use the bottle up, the next one is ready and so on. My Grandpa used garlic to worm his dogs. And my chicken eggs are orange, dark orange! They taste sooo good!!

Thanks Celie. I didn't put the fence up. I have someone who puts up with my crazy recycling ideas (and running all over picking up free stuff from people on Craigslist

) and goes along with what I need done. LOL. We rented an auger and dug the holes. Before I got sheep, I thought about the hot Louisiana weather, so I chose hair sheep as opposed to wool. I WAS NOT going to be doing any shearing. If I were a knitter, I would have opted for the wool but that is a headache. I have both Barbado and Kathadin and I just love my little flock.
As far as feed for the chickens, over the last 6 weeks, I have changed from Flockraiser to 26% protein Gamebird Pellets from Petrus Feed Store along with cracked corn added to bring the protein down. I keep the protein high for the peas though. Terri can give you more information about Petrus feed because it is in her home town and she has been buying from them for years. All I know is that they make their own feed there and it is FRESH FRESH FRESH. The last time I was there, they were out of feed but had just started making some, so we waited about 1 1/2 hours to get our feed. The feed was so fresh, you could feel how warm it was. The feed that I get is $14.95 for a 50lb bag. The last trip that we took there, we filled up the back of the pickup truck. I bought the following:
(20) 50lb bags of the game bird pellets
(10) 50lb bags of cracked corn
(4) 50lb bags of sheep pellets
(1) 50lb bag of goat pellets
(2) 50lb bags of rabbit pellets
We were loaded down.

Most of that has lasted 30 days. I think I will have to increase the (20) 50 lb bags of game bird pellets to (25) 50 lb bags. I will also have to increase the 10 bags of cracked corn to about 20 bags. I add cracked corn to the sheep and goat pellets, so I will have to buy extra bags of corn for their diet. I think they enjoy the feed from Petrus. I can't say anything bad about it. It is worth it. I get a higher protein of healthy FRESH feed for a reasonable price. As opposed to getting OLD, molded, pricey feed from TRACTOR SUPPLY.

Tomorrow I will be driving to Alexandria to get another load. I won't be in the pickup truck so I will have to load my SUV with whatever I can. Too bad I don't have those little mini trailers, I could put the feed on that. From what I understand, they deliver to Opelousas, so I want to get on their list to have the feed delivered. I will have to call them ahead of time to let them know that I'm coming for a big load so they can be ready for my order.
I will have to look at the bands that I have. Someone gave them to me, so I"m not sure right off.

Good job, gathering nice Free stuff! Which are Barbado and which are Kathdain?
I'm gonna have to check out this feed store, it sounds to good to be true. Do they have non-GMO corn?That stuff scares me! I bet it's way the other side of the state from me? I do have a trailer, 6x24, I think and a 6X12 dump trailer for bulk.....I wonder????

Hi Louisiana chicken people. I'm new to chickens and also fairly new to Louisiana. Can you tell me if you vaccinate your chickens for fowlpox, and/or anything else?

Nope, never have, my brother bought chicks from a hatchers and got them vaccinated for a bunch if stuff and they all got sick anyway and whatever it was, all of his birds died, so when I got mine, I never did. We don't have mosquitoes, because we keep ducks and mosquitoes don't like ducks, but ducks love mosquitoes. That's why I keep ducks, cause ducks are messy, but very friendly and funny and all my ducks walk in a row, all 130 of them now. Getting the numbers down, folks!

And by the way,

and Louisiana La-yers Peeps!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Good morning La-yers!!!!!!!!!! What a great morning this morning! I hope that everyone had a great weekend. The weather was beautiful outside this weekend.

Terri, it was soooooooo good seeing you again. I made it home safe and unloaded all of the yummy feed from Petrus. Thank you so much for the wonderful pecans and delicious lemons. I can't wait to make pecan candy with your pecans. I have already enjoyed fresh squeezed lemonade and have squeezed the lemon juice in my hot green tea and have taken your tip and used the ice trays to freeze the lemon juice. Can you say MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Man, nothing like home grown lemons from someone's backyard. I am so loving those lemons. And I can't wait to get the pecan candy made so I can sit in bed and gain about 10lbs from eating every piece. Terri, all of your babies are so beautiful. The peas have absolute remarkable colors. Your chickens seemed to be really enjoying their Saturday morning hanging out under the lemon trees. And the guineas are too cute roaming here and there. What a great little slice of heaven you have over there. I always love going over there. The ride is amazing. Beautiful countryside.

My peacock Prince gave me quite a scare this weekend but it was all my fault. I keep trying to convince myself that I can let him roam in the yard with the other animals but every time I do that, he seems to vanish in thin air and that is what he did this weekend. I let all of the animals out into the human yard to run around and he was walking around as usual. I went inside for 5 minutes to get something (my fresh squeezed lemonade- Lemons - courtesy of Terri) and when I came back out he was GONE GONE GONE! I walked around for about 20 minutes looking for him but I didn't see him. Then I got in my truck and took off looking for him. I drove around for 15 minutes and still no Prince. I made it home and went inside to take a tranquilizer to calm my nerves (just joking). Well, the phone rang and it was my neighbor who lives 2 houses down. When I saw her number pop up, I knew exactly what it was about. I answered the phone and she said that she had my "pheasant" over at her house. She said that he jumped on her van and just sat there. She said her grandkids walked up to him and picked him up. She said the kids were bringing him right over. I was like, "THANK GOODNESS". I went outside and the grandkids were walking down the road with Prince in hand. I was so relieved and so upset that he walked off but it's my fault. Well, that was his last time out to taste freedom. I have learned my lesson. He cannot be out unsupervised. I hate to have to pen him up but looks like I have to. The scary part about all of this is that Prince let those kids catch him without running or flying away. They said he didn't fight or struggles. He just went peacefully with them. So that means anyone can take him because he is not afraid of people. I guess he is too tame.

On a brighter note, I was finally able to catch one of my boys fanning. His tail is not quite there yet but it's getting there. Hopefully in a year, he will have a full tail. I took the pic through the fence.

I was at Walmart and was looking at the prices of turkeys and I was shocked to find A GOOSE in the frozen section. I know that people eat goose but I just couldn't do it. I can't see myself eating a goose. Has anyone ever eaten a goose? And the price shocked me as well. Take a look below.

That's about it for me. Suppose to be a 50% chance of rain tomorrow but the rest of the week is going to be good.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Good morning - it was great seeing you again too Julie! it was the highlight of my weekend! You need to plant you a couple of those Meyer lemon trees - they are well worth it! (satsumas, too)! I love living where I do - all those old plantation homes and the way the bayou winds beside the road.

Your boy is GORGEOUS!!! Romeo was fanning yesterday but I never could catch the stinker when I had the camera. Remember, they still have several months of tail-growing to do so he'll still put on some size and length yet. I can't wait for hatching season to start.

So sorry about Prince but sooo happy you found him. I hate having to lock mine up, too but it's for their own safety. I go out & sit in the runs with them & hand out treats - they like that.

Just after dark yesterday, our power went out and we went to look around -- the power pole in front of our house was on fire! it had already spread into the ditch & started across the front yard. We got it put out & called Cleco - a squirrel had fried itself in the transformer. They got it back on in about an hour. It was kind of scary how fast that fire spread - it's so dry. We need a good soaking rain here.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Good morning - it was great seeing you again too Julie! it was the highlight of my weekend! You need to plant you a couple of those Meyer lemon trees - they are well worth it! (satsumas, too)! I love living where I do - all those old plantation homes and the way the bayou winds beside the road.

Your boy is GORGEOUS!!! Romeo was fanning yesterday but I never could catch the stinker when I had the camera. Remember, they still have several months of tail-growing to do so he'll still put on some size and length yet. I can't wait for hatching season to start.

So sorry about Prince but sooo happy you found him. I hate having to lock mine up, too but it's for their own safety. I go out & sit in the runs with them & hand out treats - they like that.

Just after dark yesterday, our power went out and we went to look around -- the power pole in front of our house was on fire! it had already spread into the ditch & started across the front yard. We got it put out & called Cleco - a squirrel had fried itself in the transformer. They got it back on in about an hour. It was kind of scary how fast that fire spread - it's so dry. We need a good soaking rain here.

Terri, can I use the seeds from your lemons to plant a few trees or would it best to buy some Meyer lemon trees? What do you think? I kept all the seeds so that they can dry out to plant them but if that's not the best thing to do, let me know. How long does it take for them to grow and produce lemons?

Thanks Terri. I can't wait until the boys get older to see the really, really, really long trains.

Yea, I think I"ll have to do like and continue to go out and sit in the runs with everyone. I do that with the 2 boys and 2 girls but now it looks like I will have to do the same with Prince. He really had me scared.

Sorry to hear about the power. Glad that everything was ok? Don't you have bators running? Poor squirrel. Fried squirrel? That sounds delicious.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Good morning La-yers!!!!!!!!!! What a great morning this morning! I hope that everyone had a great weekend. The weather was beautiful outside this weekend.
Terri, it was soooooooo good seeing you again. I made it home safe and unloaded all of the yummy feed from Petrus. Thank you so much for the wonderful pecans and delicious lemons. I can't wait to make pecan candy with your pecans. I have already enjoyed fresh squeezed lemonade and have squeezed the lemon juice in my hot green tea and have taken your tip and used the ice trays to freeze the lemon juice. Can you say MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Man, nothing like home grown lemons from someone's backyard. I am so loving those lemons. And I can't wait to get the pecan candy made so I can sit in bed and gain about 10lbs from eating every piece.

Terri, all of your babies are so beautiful. The peas have absolute remarkable colors. Your chickens seemed to be really enjoying their Saturday morning hanging out under the lemon trees. And the guineas are too cute roaming here and there. What a great little slice of heaven you have over there. I always love going over there. The ride is amazing. Beautiful countryside.

My peacock Prince gave me quite a scare this weekend but it was all my fault. I keep trying to convince myself that I can let him roam in the yard with the other animals but every time I do that, he seems to vanish in thin air and that is what he did this weekend. I let all of the animals out into the human yard to run around and he was walking around as usual. I went inside for 5 minutes to get something (my fresh squeezed lemonade- Lemons - courtesy of Terri) and when I came back out he was GONE GONE GONE! I walked around for about 20 minutes looking for him but I didn't see him. Then I got in my truck and took off looking for him. I drove around for 15 minutes and still no Prince. I made it home and went inside to take a tranquilizer to calm my nerves

(just joking). Well, the phone rang and it was my neighbor who lives 2 houses down. When I saw her number pop up, I knew exactly what it was about. I answered the phone and she said that she had my "pheasant" over at her house. She said that he jumped on her van and just sat there. She said her grandkids walked up to him and picked him up. She said the kids were bringing him right over. I was like, "THANK GOODNESS". I went outside and the grandkids were walking down the road with Prince in hand. I was so relieved and so upset that he walked off but it's my fault. Well, that was his last time out to taste freedom. I have learned my lesson. He cannot be out unsupervised. I hate to have to pen him up but looks like I have to.

The scary part about all of this is that Prince let those kids catch him without running or flying away. They said he didn't fight or struggles. He just went peacefully with them. So that means anyone can take him because he is not afraid of people.

I guess he is too tame.
On a brighter note, I was finally able to catch one of my boys fanning. His tail is not quite there yet but it's getting there. Hopefully in a year, he will have a full tail. I took the pic through the fence.



I was at Walmart and was looking at the prices of turkeys and I was shocked to find A GOOSE in the frozen section. I know that people eat goose but I just couldn't do it. I can't see myself eating a goose.

Has anyone ever eaten a goose? And the price shocked me as well. Take a look below.


That's about it for me. Suppose to be a 50% chance of rain tomorrow but the rest of the week is going to be good.

Your pea is so beautiful!! What a gorgeous fellow he will be. Can't believe the price of the goose!! $4.86 a pound, but I'm with you, I couldn't eat that. Have a wonderful week!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you PrimroseMom1. I can't wait until the boys grown up to be men. lol

Same here about the goose. To me, eating my goose would be like eating the pet dog or pet cat. It ain't happening.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Wow that goose IS expensive! I don't think I could eat a goose.

Yes, I have the 'bator running but it wasn't out long enough to do any harm. (knocking on wood)! Eggs are due to hatch end of this week in fact.

You can grow them from seeds, but it will take 7-8 years before you get a tree big enough to bear. We got ours at Clyde Holloway's nursery out at Forest Hill - he has a ton of citrus & all have been very healthy, nice stock and his prices are reasonable, too.

Our trees are about 10 years old now - they started producing when they were around 3 years old.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Wow that goose IS expensive!  I don't think I could eat a goose.

Yes, I have the 'bator running but it wasn't out long enough to do any harm. (knocking on wood)! Eggs are due to hatch end of this week in fact.

You can grow them from seeds, but it will take 7-8 years before you get a tree big enough to bear.  We got ours at Clyde Holloway's nursery out at Forest Hill - he has a ton of citrus & all have been very healthy, nice stock and his prices are reasonable, too.

Our trees are about 10 years old now - they started producing when they were around 3 years old.  

Sounds good. I think I will check out Clyde and get some from him. 3 years is not bad at all to wait. I may still experiment with the seeds. I don't plan on moving, so it will be fun to watch them grow over the years. I'm so excited!