NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

WNYegger, there is a thread on this behavior, called I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking. The originator has a flock full of them and has tried everything, but his won't stop. Some people believe it is a diet deficiency and upped the protein...personally, I have some with bare rumps, and I feed fermented feed, 20 percent protein. Some people recommend canning as a cure...good luck.

And, I do like fermenting the feed. Their poops seem to be less smelly, and their feathers are soft and vibrant, although there seems to be a bit of molting going on at the moment. Also, since the feed is moist, it doesn't get lost so easily.

How about sharing your recipe for fermented feed?

I had some gleanings from a brewery here and they pretty much ignored it. I just left it sitting in the bucket in the yard. Finally I dumped it over and Lord only knows what happened to it.

 

[kimmerjo]

My bathroom is almost finished!! The washer and dryer is going in there so I can use my laundry room to brood the chicks I get on the 29th!! My husband is having issues with keeping chicks in the house but I won that argument all I will have to do is put a door on the room so the cats don't get to curious

 

[elroddo]

Rancher I've been fermenting feed, and its super easy. You want a container with a lid, your normal feed and water. I got a 5 gallon bucket and a lid. You want your first batch to go 3-4 days of fermenting, after that you can backslop.

So you put some feed in your container, say a weeks worth. Add water, stir, add some more water, and stir until well mixed and you have a few inches of water on top of your mix. The feed can absorb alot of water, I don't know the exact ratio. Let it ferment 3-4 days, stirring it a few times a day. If you get a white film on top thats a good thing, thats the good bacteria breaking down the yeast. So once its good and mixed, and after about 4 days start feeding it. When you get down to a day or two of feed left do it all over after feeding, and it'll be ready for the next day, because the bacteria is already present. Any questions check the massive fermented feed thread in the feeding and watering sub forum.

 

[kadoer12]

Hello again,

I love reading about all your guys' stories on here.

Hatching eggs always surprises you. We moved our incubator to a new room for some duck eggs. For the first few days we checked it and did everything, but then we ... sort of forgot about it. Luckily the room is fairly consistent in heat. DM remembered about them on lock down day. When she went down to initiate lock down, she was greeted by 4 chirping early ducklings with three more pipping, 7 out of 13. All are hatched and healthy with no problems. Going to be rethinking incubator location or put a big ol' sign on the door saying Incubation in process with a clipboard stating # of days, species/breed of eggs, ect.

We have a few birds looking for new homes, some BO(pullets and cockerels), and some mix cockerels(EE's, SBEL, and barn yard mixs). We mainly want to rehome some of the pures or nice looking roos. But plenty more for the freezer. You know?

 

[Glasshen]

Yes, fermenting the feed is pretty easy, and you can just use water and feed, as the yeasts etc are present in the air. You really do NOT want to securely cover the brew, as gas is a byproduct of fermentation, and you could experience a explosion of sorts. I have started using less water than I did because I had an involved straining routine, and Gramma Chick told me it works fine without such soupy consistency. I do use some kefir or kefir whey in the mix sometimes, some use live culture yoghurt...and I make sure I don't feed out everything so there is "starter" for the next day. I cover my bucket of FF with an empty feed bag and set something, like another bucket on top, so fruit flies don't have easy access, but there is enough ventilation to prevent gas build up.

Don't use vinegar, that kills the cultures you are trying to encourage, although there is some discussion on one of the FF threads about using ACV.

Some people serve it once and then say their birds wouldn't eat it, but we all know how they are about anything new. I would serve it for a week, and I am sure they would be eating it by then, or introduce it for a few times, then feed the regular stuff, then offer it again...it wouldn't be New and scary then...hunger is the best sauce.

 

[leahlefler]

Well let me give you some unsolicited advice. Keep some money aside for emergency visits. Since DW was diagnosed and all that is going on, it's been heck trying to get my son and his family here from FL and my DD here from TX. Neither has money things are so tight.

My thought is, DW and I will pass sometime, then what will they do? Too, we won't always be able to fly to see them. I swear old age is the curse I'd most like to tell Adam and Eve off about.

We do have an emergency fund, thank goodness... but we are in the same boat. Too expensive to fly and even vacation time is limited. It is really stressful.. we didn't have jobs in California and could never afford to live there (apartment style condos - 2 bedrooms - were running $450,000 when we moved). We were struggling to afford a studio apartment out there! And then our job was outsourced to Ireland, so we moved there for a year. Then we moved to Western NY because the Irish company has a facility here - we can afford a house and a family here. So we have stayed. Maybe we'll get back to California someday, but it isn't in the cards at the moment. We've been in NY for 10 years and my parents and my husband's parents are missing out on their only grandchildren growing up. It kills me. And I worry about the old age situation, too. We will handle it when that time comes, but it is worrisome.

 

[boskelli1571]

We do have an emergency fund, thank goodness... but we are in the same boat. Too expensive to fly and even vacation time is limited. It is really stressful.. we didn't have jobs in California and could never afford to live there (apartment style condos - 2 bedrooms - were running $450,000 when we moved). We were struggling to afford a studio apartment out there! And then our job was outsourced to Ireland, so we moved there for a year. Then we moved to Western NY because the Irish company has a facility here - we can afford a house and a family here. So we have stayed. Maybe we'll get back to California someday, but it isn't in the cards at the moment. We've been in NY for 10 years and my parents and my husband's parents are missing out on their only grandchildren growing up. It kills me. And I worry about the old age situation, too. We will handle it when that time comes, but it is worrisome.

Many people are in the same boat. I'm English and when people say what are you doing in NY, I simply say that I can afford to live here! Despite taxes, cost of living etc. the US is currently much cheaper than the UK to live in.

 

[leahlefler]

Many people are in the same boat. I'm English and when people say what are you doing in NY, I simply say that I can afford to live here! Despite taxes, cost of living etc. the US is currently much cheaper than the UK to live in.

Very true. We lived in Bray, Ireland (just south of Dublin) and the cost of housing was so exorbitant that most working adults rented bedrooms in houses.. so multiple adults would rent a house together to afford to survive. We were fortunate and had company-provided housing for the duration of our stay. The cost of living is very, very high there. Taxes are high in NY, but our house is reasonable and we have an acre for the kids to play on (and to raise a few chickens). This is much better than being crammed into a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 kids in California (or Ireland).

 

[Lynzi777]

I can't believe it's 6pm already! This day FLEW by! Went and got some shopping done at the mall this morning, lots of sales on clothes for the kids, had to take advantage of that since I have no idea what is going on in August! Hopefully we'll be living in a house I like. We're leaving again for CT tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed we find something. We have a couple of showings in CT and some in MA. I just want to be able to come home and start packing knowing our stuff is going to another house and not storage!

Silkies/Sizzles got moved to ke5hde's house last night. That was actually lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Makes me feel good about moving it to the next house. I thought that coop was going to be a nightmare to move! My friend came over with her trailer and we were able to get it on there within 15 mins. All I have left here is Stella, Ella and Gru and the kids' ducks. I need to find a home for the ducks and Gru. I'll list them soon on CL I guess.

My 4 last bunnies will be coming with us, one of them had babies a couple of weeks ago and they wont be ready for new homes until late August. So I have no choice but to keep them all with us.

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[rancher hicks]

Cute ad on Craigs List Looking for laying Hens

http://syracuse.craigslist.org/wan/4540608511.html

Well I don't deal with folks who use four letter words. Shows they have an attitude I don't choose to deal with. That said a Raccoon will make short work of that coop in short order.

That said it's an nice way to recycle a swing set. With some modifications it would be good.