Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

So i have 2 questions today. 1-there is an article/ad on here today i read about sterilizing ur chicken water, suggested using oxy E-100 and zyfend a for deworming. Says it's all natural and you can still eat the eggs. I don't like giving my animals nor myself anything they don't need, but this sounded good and said it would help avoid salmonella and other stuff. Just looking for opinions on whether it would be good or just a waste of money if you keep everything clean anyways.

2nd-is their a type of feed that u can safely feed chickens, ducks and turkeys, instead of feeding each one separate? Or does it matter if once in awhile, when they are on free range time, going into each other's runs and chowing some? I just started letting the 12wk old chicks range a bit and i will be putting the 6wk old turkeys out soon too. Thanks

IMO, "sterilizing" your chicken water is kind of funny. They drink out of puddles if they're in the run. Sounds like someone trying to sell something. I could be wrong though!


I don't have turkeys or ducks, but don't turkeys (espeically young ones) need a high protein feed (like 25% or something?) ? I know that "flock raiser" from purina is like....18 or 20% protein, and it pictures all of those things on the bag (for whatever that's worth) so theoretically you could just feed that and offer your chickens oyster shell on the side.

 

[chickwhispers]

@Brennigan the wattles are bigger than the ones on mine that are already crowing. Don't be too surprised if she starts crowing at some point.

 

[aart]

So i have 2 questions today. 1-there is an article/ad on here today i read about sterilizing ur chicken water, suggested using oxy E-100 and zyfend a for deworming. Says it's all natural and you can still eat the eggs. I don't like giving my animals nor myself anything they don't need, but this sounded good and said it would help avoid salmonella and other stuff. Just looking for opinions on whether it would be good or just a waste of money if you keep everything clean anyways.

Me Neither. Go with your gut.

Marketing aimed at germophobes.......the article (and I use that term loosely) is 'sponsored' by the company that sells the products they are recommending.
Sorry, coercive marketing is huge pet peeve here.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

2nd-is their a type of feed that u can safely feed chickens, ducks and turkeys, instead of feeding each one separate? Or does it matter if once in awhile, when they are on free range time, going into each other's runs and chowing some? I just started letting the 12wk old chicks range a bit and i will be putting the 6wk old turkeys out soon too. Thanks

I do know ducklings require a higher amount of certain vitamins than chicks and poults do. I'm not sure if the adults need special feed or a vitamin supplement also. I did raise BBW poults with chicks and never had a problem, they were fed 20% starter/grower from Kalmbach, which is a very good quality feed.

 

[Brennigan]

Quote:

I think rooster too - sorry

Oops, sorry Trefoil, I'm going to blame it on waking up with only three hours sleep.

@Brennigan It does look like your silkie is a guy, I've never seen such a huge comb on a pullet.

@Brennigan the wattles are bigger than the ones on mine that are already crowing. Don't be too surprised if she starts crowing at some point.

Thanks, everyone! Our vet (who also has chickens) said the loud hum sound HE makes could be him trying to crow. We aren't near anything resembling a rooster's crow, so maybe that's why it hasn't happened faster. Is there a board on here to re-home chickens? I know its probably a roo, but its a pretty silkie too!

And I want the *gulp* problem taken care of before neighbors get involved...

 

[gladahmae]

you could try the facebook group (michigan poultry and hatching eggs for sale) if you "do" facebook. you could also list him on craigslist. good luck in re-homing!

 

[1muttsfan]

In the disinfecting vein, if you use antibacterial soap, please rethink it. Triclosan, the active ingredient, is a very toxic chemical that in many expert's opinion should not be allowed in human contact. In addition, it flushes into the waste water and has negative effects on water quality when discharged into the environment. Regular soap is antibacterial by nature, and safe when in contact with the skin; you do not need the addition of chemicals (a marketing ploy to make you afraid of bacteria).

 

[Opa]

Today I stopped along side a high ditch bank where asparagus grows in abundance. Since it is along a public highway there are others who know of this spot as well. Sometimes I will get enough spears for a meal and other times I will find that someone else has beaten me to them. The fact that someone else got them doesn't bother me in the least, but what does upset me is that they don't know what they are doing.

Asparagus should be snapped off as close to the ground as possible. This will induce the plant to send up new spears. My competitor cuts them several inches from the ground resulting in the shortened spear continuing to grow and no triggering new shoots. When I find them cut I break those severed spears off at ground level and the plant crown produces new spears. Sadly, may times I return to find that once again they have been cut. I've contempated leaving a sign explaining fow to do it right.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Do it!!! Lol. I hate it when mushrooms are picked wrong, too

 

[JackieandChicks]

Thanks, everyone! Our vet (who also has chickens) said the loud hum sound HE makes could be him trying to crow. We aren't near anything resembling a rooster's crow, so maybe that's why it hasn't happened faster. Is there a board on here to re-home chickens? I know its probably a roo, but its a pretty silkie too!

And I want the *gulp* problem taken care of before neighbors get involved...

Rooster collars or neck socks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/820771/sound-of-silence-6am-no-more-crowing#post_11937232