NY chicken lover!!!!

[mountaintopfarm]

New here. Live in the mountains outside Albany NY. Small 7 acre farm with horses and goat, and getting chickens again. We had 4 completely free range before that lived in our horse barn. This time around they'll have a 6x8 coop w nesting boxes off the back and over an acre fenced run between electric horse fences and a fenced garden. Hoping they'll be more protected. Got a variety : Cornish X, Barred Rock, Cochin, Buff Orpington, Speckled Sussex, a few Phoenix, and some Silkie Bantams (for our little one). Plan to keep some over winter- but we are attempting to raise most for meat. Little one has severe corn allergy. (Can't tolerate corn fed meat/store bought meat on corny soaker pads) Does anyone know of corn free feed or recipes for feed? We will be getting them as chicks. Thanks!

 

[Beer can]

New here. Live in the mountains outside Albany NY. Small 7 acre farm with horses and goat, and getting chickens again. We had 4 completely free range before that lived in our horse barn. This time around they'll have a 6x8 coop w nesting boxes off the back and over an acre fenced run between electric horse fences and a fenced garden. Hoping they'll be more protected. Got a variety : Cornish X, Barred Rock, Cochin, Buff Orpington, Speckled Sussex, a few Phoenix, and some Silkie Bantams (for our little one). Plan to keep some over winter- but we are attempting to raise most for meat. Little one has severe corn allergy. (Can't tolerate corn fed meat/store bought meat on corny soaker pads) Does anyone know of corn free feed or recipes for feed? We will be getting them as chicks. Thanks!

There is organic corn/soy feed commercially available feed, super expensive though, might be cheaper to get rid of kid....(just kidding...) Our youngest was allergic to milk and soy, NOT lactose intolerant, people just don't seem to understand it. Even mom's breast milk would be toxic if she had ate dairy or soy within thirty days. Hard to believe how much stuff contains soy until you start reading labels.
With corn allergy I imagine eggs from corn base feed chickens no good?
I've looked a lot at homemade feeds, more to save $$ haven't found a way yet Lol!
I do ferment their mash now, think that helps. Would like to set up a sprouting system, but that's more work and time and whole grains ain't cheap.

You might want to check out this site;
http://www.whistlepighollow.com/201...ecipes-soy-free-corn-free-fermented-sprouted/

A lot of links to different people's recipes and methods.

 

[ag29ande]

Welcome to the thread! I'm not sure where you're located but Lutz feed in Oneonta may be able to custom mill your feed. I'm not sure what the minimum is....probably a ton. Otherwise they have the largest variety of grains that I know of locally. You could buy and mix yourself. I know they sell oats, barley, soy, etc,

A Google search will likely yield a corn free recipe.

You can also give the agway in a cobleskill a call and see what they have and what they can get.

Q

New here. Live in the mountains outside Albany NY. Small 7 acre farm with horses and goat, and getting chickens again. We had 4 completely free range before that lived in our horse barn. This time around they'll have a 6x8 coop w nesting boxes off the back and over an acre fenced run between electric horse fences and a fenced garden. Hoping they'll be more protected. Got a variety : Cornish X, Barred Rock, Cochin, Buff Orpington, Speckled Sussex, a few Phoenix, and some Silkie Bantams (for our little one). Plan to keep some over winter- but we are attempting to raise most for meat. Little one has severe corn allergy. (Can't tolerate corn fed meat/store bought meat on corny soaker pads) Does anyone know of corn free feed or recipes for feed? We will be getting them as chicks. Thanks!

 

[akaruby]

Gramma those are some handsome Roos!

Tao chick- I too ordered some eggs and I hope to get them tomorrow! 14 silkie and some sizzle eggs.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Thank you for all the congrats.

What the heck!! My power just went out. Oh well no lights were on anyhow.

Your welcome for the insurance info.

Now that I'm insured would NPIP be the next step or where from here? Is npip nesacery or just a precaution? We have several buyers lined up for meat and eggs I just want to make sure I go about it properly.

If I missed any of your losses my condolences go out. Congratulations to all of you with fuzzies, I will be ordering my meaties soon, any suggestions on breed or hatchery?

 

[akaruby]

@Chicken girl 15 I have been looking into NPIP. I think they can test up to 300 a year. I was thinking NPIP was more necessary if you plan to sell hatching eggs and chicks somewhere other than within New York State

 

[tao chick]

Gramma those are some handsome Roos!

Tao chick- I too ordered some eggs and I hope to get them tomorrow! 14 silkie and some sizzle eggs.

I'm obsessively checking tracking info. I ordered the first of many sources for Brabanter (my rare breed focus- great size and lay large white eggs), and I added some pavlovskaya (love the features on this breed!) and isbar (green eggs).

 

[Beer can]

Hovabator thermal airflow 1602n, opinions and experiences please.

No experience, just uneducated opinion, well maybe semi educated... The 1588 advanced with turner from incubatorwarehouse.com cost more, but I've had many people tell me they swear by it. $184, about $200 with shipping. I asked around about TSC farm innovators pro incubator with built in fan and turner. One said it worked good for them, many said NOO!! They bought it, fought it, ended buying a Hova 1588 later and wished they did to begin with.
The 1602 might be fine, just most I've discussed incubators with either say build your own (incubator warehouse sells a kit for that also, I'll wait until I have a need for a cabinet incu) or get a 1588.
A lot of people like the Brinsea, but the mini is a joke, the 20 costs twice as much as the Hova 1588 and holds half the amount of eggs.

Just my humble opinion, I've never hatched with a incubator before, won't be trying mine until May, wife thinks we need to go on vacation end of April, messing up hatching and gardening plans.

 

[tao chick]

No experience, just uneducated opinion, well maybe semi educated... The 1588 advanced with turner from incubatorwarehouse.com cost more, but I've had many people tell me they swear by it. $184, about $200 with shipping. I asked around about TSC farm innovators pro incubator with built in fan and turner. One said it worked good for them, many said NOO!! They bought it, fought it, ended buying a Hova 1588 later and wished they did to begin with.  
The 1602 might be fine, just most I've discussed incubators with either say build your own (incubator warehouse sells a kit for that also, I'll wait until I have a need for a cabinet incu) or get a 1588.
A lot of people like the Brinsea, but the mini is a joke, the 20 costs twice as much as the Hova 1588 and holds half the amount of eggs.

Just my humble opinion, I've never hatched with a incubator before, won't be trying mine until May, wife thinks we need to go on vacation end of April, messing up hatching and gardening plans. 

that's crazy. Vacations are for winter when you want to be away from the house. We're taking a mini vacation this month then I'll be a home body until November.

 

[akaruby]

I'm obsessively checking tracking info. I ordered the first of many sources for Brabanter (my rare breed focus- great size and lay large white eggs), and I added some pavlovskaya (love the features on this breed!) and isbar (green eggs).

I know, me too! Constantly checking lol. I got my silkies from Marshas silkies on here. She had the porcelain coloring I want. I have two porcelain silkies now and that's my color focus for them. Those are some cool rare breeds. I've thought about isbars too, but I'm not sure on their temperament.