NY chicken lover!!!!

[Sally8]

sometimes when I do know the number I don't answer

I wasn't going to admit to that.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
sometimes when I do know the number I don't answer

Me too!

 

[AQHAchick22]

You said it, sister!  It is the one option on our phone service that I would actually be willing to pay more for ... a lot more.  I cannot stand telemarketers.  They are persistent, and the same one will call over and over.  Some time I just pick up the phone and instantly hang up, but most of the time, I just let it ring away.  Rarely do they leave a message.  Beware of the intimidating men that call from the police force.  Those are definitely fishy and they are pushy and try to strong arm you into giving $.  Real policemen discourage us from giving out personal info over the phone.

TOB

I love caller Id. I will sometimes pick up and mess with them but usually I'm not in the mood. I usually pick it up and instantly hang up without a word. If the answering machine comes on my dogs start to howl

Editing to add that I just saw the comments about ignoring people you do know and that's the onetime I will listen to the dogs howling and not answer haha

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Today I got an egg that looked like it was trying to get a shell. Then while cleaning I found a tiny shell less egg. I guess my d'uccle finially decided to lay her first egg. Now if I can get them to start laying eggs with shells I'll be super excited. Started to add the oyster shells to the food bucket too. Hopefully that'll help. I've seen them picking around in the bowl that they have all the time so hopefully soon they'll be laying normal eggs instead of egg filled water ballons. And if isn't to much to ask maybe they'll start to lay them in the nesting boxes instead of the floor.

 

[Lapeerian]

We've been getting 9 eggs a day with our spring pullets and a couple of the older girls that are not molting. Either the Olive Egger frizzle hasn't started yet or she lays a brown egg. Oh well, at least we are getting plenty now and a variety of brown.
I still keep golf balls in the nest box to remind them where to go, but occasionally find a surprise one under the roosts. They are loving the new metal layer box, we set it up in a corner they started hiding eggs in. 10 boxes and we usually find all the eggs in 1.

 

[Breella]

I'm still pretty sick, been freezing for days no matter what I wear. Nose is still stuffy and runny, cough is very painful. First round of Antibiotics (z-pak) wasn't enough though it did clear up my ears. I'm on doxycycline now. Last night I felt like the Sahara desert moved into my mouth. Trying to avoid contact with the chickens as much as I can until this resolves. Brought in THIRTEEN eggs today! I was very excited to see that five of my Easter Eggers are laying now. Some of their eggs look blueish to me, others look clearly green. Since Duane is a Brown egger, would hatching eggs from him and the green EEs get me on the way to olive eggers?

 

[ChickPrincess]

Just wanted to pop in and say hello and Yes, I'm still breathing. Back to work, my schedule is CRAZY.
Dh FINALLY butchered Oscar today. As I fed them this morning, I saw one of my bare-backed hens was bloody on the tips of her wings where he has broken her feathers off. I sprayed her with BluKote, came inside and told dh "He's going TODAY! He'd better be gone before I get home". He did it after I got home. Better late than never. My girls can now rest easy and hopefully grow some more feathers before the cold sets in. I'll give them extra protein. I have one rooster left, a tetra tint. So far, he's been very good. He's small and super fast. He's scared to death of people but seems to be a good alarm rooster. And he doesn't mate too much.
I have switched them to a feed from Keystone Mills out of Romulus. $11.00 per 50# bag. With the amount they are going through, I'll be saving $9 a week! They are still laying 35 to 40 eggs per day (50 hens). They seem to love this cooler weather. I have had plenty to sell and pay their own way for feed, and give eggs to neighbors and friends who are hurting financially. I couldn't be happier with their production.

Now, my one question (you didn't think I'd pop in without a question, did you???)...
Why is the meat from our rooster darker than store bought? Will it change color as it "rests" in the fridge? Or is natural raised meat darker? He was a 1.5 year old black australorp.

Hope everyone has been well. I still think about you. Just can't get on.

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

I ferment the feed by initially covering with water and some UP. with mother and let it sit for a few days to ferment then feed out to the girls. After that I just add food and water as needed.
Here's the thread I learned how to do it on
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/8850#post_12065292

There is a pearsons square which helps you calculate how much of each grain to use to get the protein level you want. I hoping for 16-18% then I am going to try a flock block to provide the other nutrients they need and if that doesn't works buy nutribalancer to add to it, I ferment them all together. I'm trying to get them off commercial feed. I don't like giving layer some of my hens had prolapse with it but it went away once I took them off the layer. I've read calcium can cause it. They oyster shell free choice since the hens know when they need it and can eat what they need. They are all on grower now since 2 are not laying. With grains it won't matter on ages or laying so no need for multi feeds. And will be cheaper also. And fermenting makes the food last linger as well. I have 8 hens and a 50# bag of grower lasted 4 months fermented with a once a day feeding. That's about 12# food a month for them all

Ok going to check out that thread but what is UP is that unpasteurized Vinegar with the mother in it if it is I have some of that just found some today with mother in it. When you say grains what are you using? I am very interested in this so any info you have is great.

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Actually, even just 1 day in the water brings up the protein, but grains alone won't get the protein high enough unless you include soy. I have fed fermented oats and the chickens love it! I added some fish meal to it, or add the soy beans. I don't like soy, but the cost of a pure oat feed without soy is prohibitive for me, but that's because I have 75 birds, lol.

I didn't like it for the silkies because they dunked their crests and they were always icky on the heads. But if you don't mind that, then they love it as well.

Whole grains for chickens is the best for them. I never fed it in the winter because it freezes as I have to mix it out in the barn due to the amount I feed daily.

Its also important that you start over with your ferment before it gets moldy. You can also just keep the grains in the water until they start to sprout. That also increases the protein.

I have too many birds and it took up a lot of time to feed them that way, but I think its the best for them! Everyone could try it and if you don't have a lot of birds and can keep your fermenting bucket in the house, you can do it all year round.

Sue what type of Soy Beans were you using were they just the dried ones you get in the store? I have a lot of birds also but I can keep it in the garage which is heated.

 

[Lapeerian]

I have switched them to a feed from Keystone Mills out of Romulus.  $11.00 per 50# bag.  With the amount they are going through, I'll be saving $9 a week!  They are still laying 35 to 40 eggs per day (50 hens).  They seem to love this cooler weather.  I have had plenty to sell and pay their own way for feed, and give eggs to neighbors and friends who are hurting financially.  I couldn't be happier with their production. 

Now, my one question (you didn't think I'd pop in without a question, did you???)...
Why is the meat from our rooster darker than store bought?  Will it change color as it "rests" in the fridge?  Or is natural raised meat darker?  He was a 1.5 year old black australorp. 

Hope everyone has been well.  I still think about you.  Just can't get on.

How does the feed compare to other feeds' nutrition and ingredients? I never even thought of the local mill for chickens. Keystone bought out the Round House Mill here in Cortland, just down the road from where I work. I like CountryMax, but that would be easier.
My understanding is the difference between light and dark meat is the amount of blood flow. So those big commercial birds only walk/waddle around, resulting in dark legs and thighs. Our birds fly, run, fight, mate, using much more of their muscle in daily happy chicken life, creating a greater blood flow to more parts of their body. Glad you brought that up, I'll be making the call today for our boys. Hubby and I discussed the rooster game plan, going to get rid of 4 this fall. Keep the OE to help the main roo with crowd control. Keep the 2 little boys to grow out. Then in the spring we will take 2 Roos along with any hens that have not resumed laying. My EE hasn't laid in over 2 months. Hoping the newest chicks are both pullets!