Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

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OK. I had ONE chicken die from an impacted crop. NOW, I hesitate to feed anything NEW without knowing that it won't get stuck somewhere on its way through! Do you know what I mean?

Yes, though I've never had that problem, I know what you mean. Doesn't seem to be a problem. No one's crop looks ugly here after 2 days of feeding it. I do use it sparingly, like a couple of handfuls to my free rangers, and 2 cups mixed in with the feed mix in a 3 gallon feeder. I was surprised they all liked it. My birds are usually like toddlers when it comes to adding something new. "Ewwwwww, I'm NOT eating that!"

had to read your information twice, thought at first you were feeding what comes out of the rabbit and then when reading again it dawned on me that you were feeding rabbit food

will have to try feeding the food pellets and see if we start getting eggs from some of the slackers!!(it's been a trying day to say the least)

 

[Debbi]

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I LOVE the calf manna for the old girls. Dang. They seem to thrive on the stuff. Put on weight, feathers shine, and the eggs come on a little better. Hasn't helped with feather picking in the younger stock which was why I added the calf manna in the first place but my old girls sure look fine!

haha...yeah..those younger ones can be funny things...even tho calf manna isn't cheap, it lasts quite a long time and really does do wonders. Its probably about time I get another bag. If you have birds molting...putting in plenty of oats with some calf manna in their regular feed will get them growing feathers like mad!

You know, I used to feed Calf Manna to my calves, goats, and sheep and it did help in the winter months. I did feed whole oats to the birds last winter, need to get some now! BOSS is SO out of the question any more at 40 bucks per 50#!! Fish meal...I wish, 62 bucks per 50#! Don't like or use soy as much as I can avoid it. My chooks all LOVE my dog food, and that is what I feed my cats too. I have to stay with the cats with a broom to run the chickens off so the poor cats get to eat! It's like 28% protein and 18% fat, and everyone here LOVES it! Don't know why that hasn't clogged anyone's pipes, it's in small ball shape, but the chooks just suck it down like candy! Seems like that's when all the birds started bulking up, once they found the cats would un-arse the area when pecked on the head!

BAAAAAAD CHICKENS!!!

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
haha...yeah..those younger ones can be funny things...even tho calf manna isn't cheap, it lasts quite a long time and really does do wonders. Its probably about time I get another bag. If you have birds molting...putting in plenty of oats with some calf manna in their regular feed will get them growing feathers like mad!

You know, I used to feed Calf Manna to my calves, goats, and sheep and it did help in the winter months. I did feed whole oats to the birds last winter, need to get some now! BOSS is SO out of the question any more at 40 bucks per 50#!! Fish meal...I wish, 62 bucks per 50#! Don't like or use soy as much as I can avoid it. My chooks all LOVE my dog food, and that is what I feed my cats too. I have to stay with the cats with a broom to run the chickens off so the poor cats get to eat! It's like 28% protein and 18% fat, and everyone here LOVES it! Don't know why that hasn't clogged anyone's pipes, it's in small ball shape, but the chooks just suck it down like candy! Seems like that's when all the birds started bulking up, once they found the cats would un-arse the area when pecked on the head!

BAAAAAAD CHICKENS!!!

same here...took a while to figure out that the chickens were sneaking in to the main part of the barn and eating the cats out of house and home. We just couldn't figure out how the cats were packing away food that fast! silly chickens. They'd like to get Goliath's food, especially Gigantor, but Goliath goes ape when they get too close to his stash. Most of the time he likes to play with them through the fence, as long as they don't mess with his food!!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Yes, though I've never had that problem, I know what you mean. Doesn't seem to be a problem. No one's crop looks ugly here after 2 days of feeding it. I do use it sparingly, like a couple of handfuls to my free rangers, and 2 cups mixed in with the feed mix in a 3 gallon feeder. I was surprised they all liked it. My birds are usually like toddlers when it comes to adding something new. "Ewwwwww, I'm NOT eating that!"

had to read your information twice, thought at first you were feeding what comes out of the rabbit and then when reading again it dawned on me that you were feeding rabbit food

will have to try feeding the food pellets and see if we start getting eggs from some of the slackers!!(it's been a trying day to say the least)

No, feed pellets, not rabbit re-cycled pellets!!!

Seems the dogs are bulking up from the "chicken pellets", and I'm not talking feed here!!!

 

[pinkchick]

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Hmmm, interesting boy! I think I'd hold on to him and do some random test matings. Like maybe breed him to a Birchen and a Splash and a Blue?? Who was his mama, do you know?

No clue who his mamma is. He comes with a white tail feather too.

 

[Debbi]

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Hmmm, interesting boy! I think I'd hold on to him and do some random test matings. Like maybe breed him to a Birchen and a Splash and a Blue?? Who was his mama, do you know?

No clue who his mamma is. He comes with a white tail feather too.

Yeh, but in his case, it may go with the white hackles in some way?? Maybe you have a mutant white under there? Just put his back pack on and send him walking east!

Already have the freak show of combs here, why not add a little more (or less) color??

 

[gilavina]

I've been trying all day to see if I can figure out a good way of accurately portraying my cuckoo girls. I haven't quite decided yet how, but HOLY MASSIVENESS BATMAN!

Now that they are coming out of their molt, they look beeeeaaaauuuutiful!

 

[gilavina]

ok, I figured out what I want for my birthday! haha (just kidding), but if one were to show up on my front porch tomorrow morning I probably wouldn't turn it away

my uncle was down the other day talking with my dad about how I was one of the only people he had a gift for already...I'm kinda secretly hoping its something chicken related.... is that bad?

A couple of years ago when I first moved back he bought my parents and I a sportsman...so maybe the odds are pretty good it will have to do with chickens after all. haha

 

[Debbi]

Cool! Hope the Uncle comes through with the Sportsman or some kind of serious chicken goodie!! Is that a "Zonkey"?? Cute little bugger! I would like to get some Apaloosa Mini Mules here!

 

[gilavina]

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man...if you get some mini appy mules....seriously i would be beyond interested in a babe!! i have not been able to find anything like them up here. my dad used to train and show horses on the show circuits all over the country and mainly raised appys for his own stock. By the time I was old enough, my dad's health problems had started up pretty good and had to give them up. He always said if he couldn't train it, I couldn't have a horse, mule, donkey, nada. So, I've always dreamed of having mini stock and want an appy mule so dang bad. If you find a leopard appy one....man..i'll be jealous for years!!

That was a Somali donkey by the way...they are pretty rare, but I think they are just gorgeous!