Maine

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On the subject of organic feeds I was reading a post on another forum about feeding goats. Someone mentioned organic feeds. One person had switched and loved the results. Two others who had both goats and rabbits saw a dramatic reduction in fertility (both goat and rabbit), milk production (goat) and overall health (goat and rabbit). They were spending twice as much for food and getting half as much milk and/or babies than they were when feeding non-organic. They went back to locally grown non-organic hay and grains and productivity increased. I guess the lesson is that just because it says organic does not mean it is better anymore than all non-organic foods are bad.

 

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My new foster dog, Bennett, arrived today all the way from Mississippi. He does have a bit of a skunky smell to him so I think he got sprayed at some point. Otherwise he is one handsome boy. Supposedly he is an Aussie/Heeler mix but he certainly looks like he has some husky in him. Definitely a husky headset with drop dead gorgeous blue eyes.

He met the birds on the way into the house. He was curious but did not offer to chase. He glanced at the horses but we did not go over to see them. My own dogs have accepted him with only the Potcake puppy a bit upset. And Bennett is already glued to my side. He needs some obedience work but seems like he will be a quick learner. He does take treats gently which is nice. Rides great in the car too.

 

[ashandvine]

Non organic doesn't mean it isn't grown without pesticides or within the general paremeters of what would otherwise qualify as 'organic.' If its local its likely close to 'organic' just without the stamp of the govt. I would rather buy local than organic but that doesn't mean I don't support the premise of the organic movement. It bothers me that something can be labeled organic but is raised in China and charged an arm and leg for here. That doesn't fit the 'movement' imo.

Pics of the fog this afternoon that snuck up from the pond, lurking first at the tree line by the cemetery before finally coming boldly across the fields to fill up and muffle everything.




Can you see my geese in there? Nope. White on white.... just kidding. They were out there but not in the frame. Still, I did try taking a few and they really weren't that legible.

 

[quailtrail]

Widget. ..so cute!!!

Took another pic of my roo's comb today...
Ugh not letting me load it??

 

[quailtrail]

Hope this is better

 

[quailtrail]

@lazy gardener I agree with not wanting to worm without evidence of worms. I was told to worm when I noticed a few black spots on my roo's comb. I didn't but did feed pumpkins and it improved but wasn't sure if it was coincidence???

 

[lazy gardener]

Bucka, thanks for the encouragement. When I checked her crop this afternoon after 2 sessions alone with a feed bucket, her crop was rounded... not stuffed, but rounded. So I think that with private nursing care ie: no one near her when being fed, that she'll do ok. I knocked a lot of ice off the hoop coop today, getting ready for the next storm! She is in a pretty heavy molt, no signs of mites. I did the full glove inspection this afternoon. She was so not impressed.

 

[MEMama3]

When do chicken swaps start up again? I want to add several breeds of pullets at one time and I figure swaps give me the best odds of finding variety in one place. I'm giddy to fill the new coop (I've got a hen sitting on 6 eggs right now). I can barely wait!

 

[buckabucka]

Quailtrail, I'm not sure what that is on the roosters comb. It looks less like frostbite in that photo, but I suppose it could be. The points of my rooster's comb are showing a little frostbite damage and the upcoming weather will only make it worse. I hate the bitter cold!

Nice fog photos ashandvine. I was rather annoyed today that they forecast mostly sunny and 35, and issued a special weather statement about "falling ice". The sun did not come out at all, and temperature topped out at 30. All the trees and wires are still covered in ice, which makes me nervous with some wet snow coming up. I guess we'll have to fill containers with water again, just in case.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

LG - when I had a girl who was really low, she did better when I set out a second feed station. I also would take her aside in the garage and feed her extra protein rich treats. Now, unfortunately Melly (yep, my girls are all named) had something else going on and I put her down, so not sure any of this is useful! It is so hard to watch one of them struggle.

One of my EE is at the bottom of the pecking order, she's never filling her crop.  So tomorrow, I plan to put every one else down in the lower level, and leave her up in the loft alone for a few hours with baby bird hand feeding formula mixed to a gruel consistency, and what ever other goodies I think might entice her to eat, perhaps some canned corn.  Any other ideas?  I see her pecking at food, but not going to town on it the way the rest of the girls do.  They have free access to crumble, 22%.  Frequent addition of BOSS, cracked corn, BOSS, wheat and barley sprouts, table scraps.  Between the 5 of them, they polished off about 1.5 cups of table scraps this morning.