my baker's dozen of lavender cuckoo orpingtons

[ShanandGem]

Ahhh okay that makes sense. No way to know without contacting them? And sounds awesome!

The only people a batch number makes any sense to are the manufacturers. Unless someone is using a feed with a Best Before date.

 

[aart]

How do you find out when it was milled?

Most feed bags have to have manufacturing dates on them.....whether they are readable or not is a tossup.
Some use a the julian calendar which shows the year and the day of the year(1-365).

 

[ShrekDawg]

The only people a batch number makes any sense to are the manufacturers.  Unless someone is using a feed with a Best Before date.

Ahh okay.

Most feed bags have to have manufacturing dates on them.....whether they are readable or not is a tossup.
Some use a the julian calendar which shows the year and the day of the year(1-365).

Thanks! I think that sort of makes sense hah

 

[ShanandGem]

Well, I was reluctant to post this due to Murphy's Law, but it seems my flock is now healthy. It took a lot of research and planning and observation which resulted in me grinding my own feed, but the results are worth it. I am down to nine birds from the original thirteen, I hatched six and bought another three hatchlings, for a total of 18. I am looking forward to starting my breeding program once everyone reaches maturity. I have one cuckoo cockerel who looks to be quite a handsome fellow.
For anyone who is struggling all I can say is supplement with vitamin A before you do anything else. I learned that here in Canada (or maybe just BC, don't quote me)you aren't allowed to feed animals to animals who are to enter the food chain, so any commercial chicken feed you buy has no animal ingredients, not even fish meal. That means you're relying on the manufacturer to supplement the feed with vitamin A since there is no natural source in the bag.
I am supplementing my homemade feed with 4000 IU vitamin A/lb. I also feed pureed pumpkin, spinach, corn and lentils, all great sources of beta carotene, which is an A precursor. Sort of an incomplete vitamin A, if you will. If a bird is deficient their system can utilize it.
My big birds' feathers didn't come in great because of the deficiency but they are looking better so I will try to get some pictures of them up. I love my little flock! Never thought I would be a crazy chicken lady, but here we are.

 

[ShanandGem]

 

[ShanandGem]

Watching over his ladies!

 

[ShanandGem]

Hey big fella!

 

[Jensownzoo]

Oh they are very pretty!

 

[ShanandGem]

Oh they are very pretty!

Thank you! I'm a proud mother hen..

 

[Honora]

They are lovely. I just hatched out 3 lavender cuckoo cockerels a few days ago. I can only keep them for a couple of months but I know they will be gorgeous.