Minnesota!

[lalaland]

and on another note, just how far away is Togo anyway? Did Ralphie step into an alternate universe? Did he say he was going to be gone a whole danged week?

 

[FoxyChicken]

@NathanZee how do you like your Buff Orpington ducks? Where did you get them?

I had a moment of insanity this past spring where I thought about getting a couple of ducks just as pets, with any eggs as a bonus, and I thought the Buffs sounded like great birds for that. I looked around and they seemed hard to find, so I was just curious. I had talked myself out of it, but now that I see you have some..... dang it!!

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie has always been in an "alternate universe".
He is likely attempting to reduce the Ruffed Grouse population in the vicinity of Togo, and perhaps his wing shooting is a bit rusty. That would account for the extended absence. He could not go home Grouseless and face Judy?

 

[KlopKlop]

His profile says he was online yesterday at 7:43am

So he probably is still in this dimension. Or Sasquatch is figuring out how to work an iPhone

 

[Minniechickmama]

I use mash, so I just mix it in. Definitely add it to their feed. If you use pellets or crumbles, I think I would soften them up with milk or broth or even water, so the herbs would stick.

If you think they are getting thin, you might try adding some additional protein which isn't a bad idea when they are molting anyway. You could feed ground hamburger or turkey, liver, tuna, a couple dozen minnows, cottage cheese, etc.

About the milk - someone I trust has said on other threads that chickens can't digest milk. I am not sure about this, after all, chickens used to get feed buttermilk routinely. And I have always feed milk, cheese, yogurt, and never have seen a problem.

As is too often the case, you have come across some of those who have enough knowledge to be dangerous because they share way more than they actually do know.
People have allowed their chickens to eat soured milk and other dairy waste for forever.

@NathanZee how do you like your Buff Orpington ducks? Where did you get them?

I had a moment of insanity this past spring where I thought about getting a couple of ducks just as pets, with any eggs as a bonus, and I thought the Buffs sounded like great birds for that. I looked around and they seemed hard to find, so I was just curious. I had talked myself out of it, but now that I see you have some..... dang it!!

If you would want better layers, you should look at Khaki Campbells. They are smaller birds too to be feeding and housing than the Buffs.

 

[willzpapa]

We have fed our milk overages as far back as I can remember

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Well, if they had a Self-Blue(what most people mis-label as Lavender) split going on. Which means, they can express Black as their phenotype (what you see) but carry a masked genotype (what you don't see) that will only show up if both parents are a split color gene. It looks either Self Blue or Blue, and the Blue (Andalusian Blue gene) only shows if one or both parents are Blue or Splash.
So, my guess is that it is from parents carrying the Self Blue. Confused yet? LOL
With Andalusian Blue (like I have with my Cochins). Here is what you get when breeding:
Black to Black = all Black offspring
Black to Blue = half Blue, Half Black
Black to Splash = all Blue
Blue to Blue = 25% Black 50% Blue 25% Splash
Blue to Splash = half Blue, half Splash
Splash to Splash = all Splash

But with Black splits to Self Blue, I don't know the numbers for sure, but I believe if you have two parents who are splits, then they should produce 50% Black and 50% Self Blue.
I will be honest, I find the whole "Lavender" craze irritating because people have mis-labeled them. They are pretty, but the only true Lavender colored birds, or that that label is used with are some Game birds. I don't think any other breeds have been accept under that label/variety. But for sure, they are beautiful Silkies in that variety.
The way you can tell the difference too is that the shaft of the feathers is that light blue or dove gray color as well as the barbs of the feathers, whereas with the Andalusian Blue, the feather shaft is Black.

That little cutie likely won't have a big crest. When they hatch they tend to have a good crest showing if they are going to get much of one. Some have vaulted skulls too which makes their crests look even bigger. In my Whites I get some that have wimpy crests, which is good for those ones to be able to see. LOL Dixie the Silkie Bogtown got from me is a Buff and she never had much of a crest and she could run all over the place. It is likely why she can stand up to the bigger birds if she needs to at BC's, she sees them coming

Minnie: your wealth of knowledge never quits to astound me. My gosh!

Just a couple cents on Dixie the Buff silkie. She is most suited for free ranging in our yard with the small crest and dealing with larger flock members. She is quick, smart, alert, flighty (which is okay by me-it means she survives) I got another buff silkie from Minnie and she lasted two weeks. Heavily crested and didn't move. She was a show girl though. And if you're showing silkies that's what you need...are these large crests. We don't show birds so Dixie's fortunate misgivings suit us perfectly. That blue chick is absolutely gorgeous if I may say so. Cutie for sure.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Yeah dairy is okay for chickens.

There have been some blurbs on threads on feeding layer feed to roosters or non-layers and extra calcium not being good for them...their kidneys or something. But my roo eats what his hens eat and he is just fine as far as I know. It's too hard to keep two kinds of feed to satisfy the nutritional needs of one bird in my flock. When I consider the other 9 (hens) most important when it comes to keeping a type of feed. I have done all flock with oyster shell on the side/free choice...but I think my girls laid better on layer mash. Just coarse observations over the last couple years.

 

[lalaland]

As is too often the case, you have come across some of those who have enough knowledge to be dangerous because they share way more than they actually do know.
People have allowed their chickens to eat soured milk and other dairy waste for forever.

We have fed our milk overages as far back as I can remember

I know! they even had buttermilk feeders made by redwing pottery, so it was a mainstream practice way back when. having said that, though, even though I have had chickens for more than a decade I am still learning, so....I was hesitant to suggest dairy products without mentioning that. Thanks for the feedback, next time I suggest dairy products I won't mention the counter of possibly not digesting.

The number of things chickens can supposedly not eat astounds me. I figure, any critter that can happily eat off a compost pile can handle just about anything short of poison or metal objects. The one that makes me laugh the most is....beans. because, supposedly, it gives them gas and their digestive systems can't handle that! ha ha

(added just to ensure no one thinks I am serious).

 

[lalaland]

Yeah dairy is okay for chickens.

There have been some blurbs on threads on feeding layer feed to roosters or non-layers and extra calcium not being good for them...their kidneys or something. But my roo eats what his hens eat and he is just fine as far as I know. It's too hard to keep two kinds of feed to satisfy the nutritional needs of one bird in my flock. When I consider the other 9 (hens) most important when it comes to keeping a type of feed. I have done all flock with oyster shell on the side/free choice...but I think my girls laid better on layer mash. Just coarse observations over the last couple years.

ok, I would love to hear more about this. I've also been told no layer mash for roosters for the same reasons. I've always just switched the flock to all feed mixes when there has been roosters in the flock. Am just about to finish up on the batch of laying mash I had when Ralphie's creamer roo came (got to name that guy) and was thinking of getting all flock.

How long have you been feeding roosters layer mash?