Minnesota!

[Rhetts]

Golly, so much good information here I am learning from you all today. I better get off BYC before I read and learn more. My brain surely cannot process anymore!

 

[holm25]

Golly, so much good information here I am learning from you all today.  I better get off BYC before I read and learn more.  My brain surely cannot process anymore!

I feel ya! When it comes to poultry I remember 90% of the things I learn. When it comes to math I remember what the numbers in the problems r but thats about it. But I will say I use math everyday when with the chickens.

 

[nordicacres]

Hey Rhetts, Thanks for asking about the predator.


I (knocking on Wood) think it went OK. I have not opened the brooders today because of the 30 degree drop in temps over night. I had/have 2 smaller chicks in the middle school group, I wish today, I had moved them back to elementary school. Hopefully they all crowded together and did fine.

Ole, I am sure is upset, being sentenced to prison and all was traumatic on him. That said, I noticed the hens seem happier with him gone. I am not sure what I will do with him. Anyone wanting a rooster, missing most of his tail feathers? I will let you have him for the same price EJB gave him to me for!! (FREE)

I am afraid I am losing the battle for Bert. His foot is all swollen again. He is hobbling instead of walking. I am not going to bring him back into the house, whatever will be will be.


On the CX's Rhett, I feed the babies twice a day morning and night. I give them starter for just a few days, then I go to layer because of the lower protein. IMHO they are so good at metabolizing food high protein become their worse enemy. They only have the food for 15-20 minutes then I remove it. If you allow them to they will eat all day long.

After a week I move them outside to the tractor/brooder I still only feed them twice a day for 15-20 minutes. ( this never changes with them). I make sure they have "grit" right off the bat, (just sand/gravel from my drive). I give them a little "scratch" (and I mean little) so they have to work for it. By the time they are 2 weeks old I have them free ranging. They are fun to watch, they chase bugs, eat grass and act like real chickens. After a couple weeks I do not worry about a heat lamp they are small blast furnaces.

I never give them a roost, but they will "roost" on a 2x4 on edge or a small board just make sure it is not too high (6 inches is great plenty). One thing I learned is keep the water and feed a distance apart to force them to walk.

I am not sure how FF will, I do not use it and do not want to start a FF war as I know some are very adamant about it, as I understand it FF is higher in protein than normal feed, the sugars/carbs are converted in the fermenting leaving higher protein. With CX's protein is the evil they have inherent heart and kidney problems, (ascites) higher protein again IMHO leads to ketosis and kidney circulatory problems. My first batch I fed like the hatchery instructions said too, I had leg problems, heart problems and lots of ascites, I ended up having to process at 40-42 days because of all the problems.

The one study I found by a university showed FF helps keep "bugs and worms" out of the gut, with CX's they are not going to live long enough to make that a worry they are in the freezer in 3 months.


Good luck on them and as Minnie says take this with a grain of salt, it is "internet advice" and could be all wrong it is completely anecdotal and is what works for me and has no scientific basis.

To me Bert and his girls were proof I could keep them alive for months, I am hoping to get years from a few of my future CX's. We will see how it goes and how my toads do in the future. I really wanted more babies from Bert, but that is not going to happen. Oh well.



BTW mine are from Hoover and I am happy with them. I thought I had too many girls in my straight run but that happens.

No offense taken here. I'm really liking the FF feed. It is pretty easy to do, adds moisture to their food (water consumption is down), is supposed to increase the available protein in the feed, and they gobble it right up. Instead of free feeding dry food (like I was before) I give them FF 2-3 times per day. For now I've been buying a bag of meat bird feed (20% protein), layer feed x2 (17% protein), a bag of scratch, a bag of whole oats, and a bag of cracked corn. I mix them all together and ferment. Overall the protein percentage is lower than recommended for meat birds and turkeys, but I'm hoping that fermenting will make more of that available for them to digest and they are also all free ranged so they are consuming bugs and worms, etc. We're not in a hurry to process the turkeys. I really like them and want them to stick around until October or November if that is even possible! So the slower growth rate is just fine with me. It is all a big experiment and I will have to see how the birds do once they start laying.

Sorry to hear Bert is ailing again

 

[I Love Layers]

Thinking of selling my sulmtalers and wondering if there is any interest on here before I post on craigslist? There is 7 hens and two roos. Would prefer to sell altogether but may be willing to split. Sulmtalers are a rare breed and known for being a great heritage meat bird. Let me know if they're is any interest!

Do you have an pictures

 

[nordicacres]

Have you looked at Stromberg's? I have gone with them the last two years and am very happy with their CRX. They are very consistent in size and they are pretty calm. I have gotten them from McMurray a couple of times and their consistency is awful, and they are crazy birds! Raised in identical conditions, the MM birds were complete spazzes and one was even mean. I will be getting my CRX on July 8th from Stromberg's, and they drop ship from whatever their CRX hatchery is, i think down South, like New Mexico, actually. I was supposed to have them two weeks ago for the kids to show but pushed back the date to be more convenient for me with all the other birds I have. The turkeys should be out in their pasture by then.

Speaking of turkeys....
Mine are a week old, and 2 were strutting in the brooder yesterday!!! those little butts! LMAO!!

I was thinking of ordering my Guineas from Stromberg's actually. They have the smallest minimum order I could find (15). I ordered our first batch of CX from MMM and they did alright. Good size, heavy on the cockerels, but they were more $$. Since we are going to be raising this batch to sell (already all spoken for, I believe) we are trying to reduce our costs overall. I'll have to check their pricing. TY for the tip!

 

[duluthralphie]

I was thinking of ordering my Guineas from Stromberg's actually. They have the smallest minimum order I could find (15). I ordered our first batch of CX from MMM and they did alright. Good size, heavy on the cockerels, but they were more $$. Since we are going to be raising this batch to sell (already all spoken for, I believe) we are trying to reduce our costs overall. I'll have to check their pricing. TY for the tip!

If your looking for guineas I can send you or get some eggs to you. BUT I am not doing well on their hatch rate. I was hoping to have enough to sell by now, but that is not going to happen, if you wanted to try hatching your own you could, but no guarantees. I doubt I am doing 10% on them. No idea what I am doing wrong. I have 8 under a broody Back Australorp now we will see if she can do better..

AND BOY is she broody. She refuses to leave the nest for any reason.

 

[nordicacres]

If your looking for guineas I can send you or get some eggs to you. BUT I am not doing well on their hatch rate. I was hoping to have enough to sell by now, but that is not going to happen, if you wanted to try hatching your own you could, but no guarantees. I doubt I am doing 10% on them. No idea what I am doing wrong. I have 8 under a broody Back Australorp now we will see if she can do better..

AND BOY is she broody. She refuses to leave the nest for any reason.

Oh, TY! That is a very nice offer. I don't have an incubator, though. That is on my list of things to get/do next Spring

 

[mnhomestead]

Quote:

Do you have an pictures

Yep! All are about 1 year old.

 

[holm25]

Ralphie how much would u sell 1 dozen guinea eggs for?? We really want guineas and my moms dad wants some guineas. I would end up giving all to him but I dont know. How many guineas do u have??

 

[Cluckies]

love this thread. a little daunting to come find so many posts daily, but hey! its like going to the grocery store and running into alot of people and chatting for a few minutes - lots to catch up on all the time!

Ralphie, welcome home. hope you get to stay a while!

I have a different broody problem. (Yup, still having broodies). Amelia, who is icelandic, is broody and I cant break her. She also lays an egg daily, which I haven't had a broody do before. Since she is in a wire cage, the egg almost always breaks or cracks. She is on day 4 of the wire cage routine. If that doesn't work, the ultimate cruelty will follow tomorrow: getting doused in a bucket of cold water.

I know, it sounds outrageously cruel, but a) she can't keep being broody, b) I have no rooster so no fertile eggs, and c) I dont need more chickens, and d) with markes I want a year to see how last spring's hatches do.

Anyone every resort to the water bucket?

I haven't done it, but it doesn't have to be cold, just cool I saw. just hold her in the water so her belly and breast area is covered to cool the area, so no need to "douse" her in it. Good luck!