Mille Cochin Info

[JOSHSBANTAMS]

They look like they should have decent coloring. I can see some black tips coming in on the ones chest. They’re still in the gangly phase. My Cockerels tend to be pretty slow at filling out so give them some time to widen out but it looks like they’re headed in the right direction. Be sure to keep posting picture as they mature.


About your feeders, I’m a plumber and order these type of fittings all the time. You can buy 90 degree fittings that are a more gradual bend. They’re called “long turn 90” or a “long sweep 90” they are made to provide better flow around the corner. Just thought I’d put in my two cents.

 

[hippichick]

Thanks, Josh. I'll try to be better about posting pics. I'll get more of them in a month or so. I think their coloring is great, and I agree-they just need time to fill out.

And about the 90s for the feeders, I just mentioned it to my husband, and he knows exactly what you're talking about. We'll definitely try that, thanks so much.

 

[Msbear]

our pvc feeders could use a little help too. Thanx! We drilled holes right into the 90 degree turn. When the hens peck at it, that causes the feed to flow through a bit better...

We've switched alot of them over to this kind. They work great!

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Do you find that a lot of fine, powdery residue settles in your feeders and that the chikens don't eat it?
I was having an awful lot of waste from this.

They would eat the bigger crumbles but leave the fine, powdery stuff that always magically appeared! Eventually, the feeder would be full of the powdery stuff and there was no room for the crumbles.

Now, I dump out the powdery stuff they don't eat and mix it in with the damp grain mixture (whole oats soaked in water & ACV with split peas, millet, black oil sunflower seeds, and garlic) that I feed almost daily, to use it up. At least that way I don't feel like it's all going to waste and I think that the birds are getting some nutrition out of it!

Geesh! Picky cochins...

;-)

 

[Coopa Cabana]

I have finally made the switch from crumbles to pellets - that eliminates a lot of the powder waste. They have no problem with the size of the pellets. (I had to remind myself that they eat whole corn with no problems.)

 

[onthespot]

If you mix that powdery stuff with water so it's like oatmeal, it becomes a "treat" to them and they will gobble it all down pronto. Zero waste.

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Excellent ideas! Thanks ladies.

 

[herbandteas]

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[herbandteas]

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what kind of feeder do you use to put pellets in?

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
what kind of feeder do you use to put pellets in?

It's one of those big gravity types, like Nancy has pictured in her thread, although my base appears a bit bigger. I think it's a 25 or 30 lb. I'm using the same feeder for the pellets that I was using for the crumbles.

But even with the pellets, I still have problems with food on the floor - sometimes I think the litter is more food than it is shavings! Some of the birds scratch it out with their feet - some flip it out with their beaks. Which is why I want to look at different feeder options.