***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[faerielady]

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I honestly believe that this is why I lost the remaining layers I had last winter. I believe that the feed I was using (mill feed) went stale and they weren't getting any nutrition from it, and what I was supplementing with scratch & mash wasn't enough when it froze, thawed, then froze solid.

I still feel guilty because of it.

 

[nnbreeder]

As with all other things too much Calcium is bad for them as is too little calcium. Layer feed has added Calcium to make up for the extra needs of a layer.

This is taken by permission from another site.

Calcium

Overdose is a common occurrence when people over-use calcium supplements such as oyster shell. Oyster shell offered to any female before first egg can cause kidney damage. Never mix oyster shell into feed where young females or males of any age can free-feed. Oyster shell should be provided to laying females.

However, if you see 'calcium bumps' on your eggshells, they're getting too much. A good vitamin and mineral supplement added to drinking water can sometimes provide enough calcium

 

[nnbreeder]

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It is not supposed to get -30 here in Ok. There were a few toes lost here and that was even with Teva covering pens with tarps.

 

[upcdayz]

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Good points. Have a question though. When I have had roosters here (which I no longer have) they got the same commercial feed/oyster shell available to them that the hens got. They were all roughly the same age and the hens were laying. If I were to have roosters in the future though, how would I have food available them w/o added calcium that the hens get since mine free range. I'm confused

 

[nnbreeder]

About the neatest trick that I have learned is that if there is a strong front coming in to cover pens with blankets and then mist the blankets with water. Once the water freezes you have a wall that wind can't cut through.

I have also switched to black water hoses. Even if frozen on a day that is sunny just stretch them out and let the sun thaw them out. I have thawed my hoses in 20 deg weather.

 

[nnbreeder]

Free range birds will not eat enough of the pellets to do them harm. I have noticed however that our roosters don't live nearly as long as the hens do.

I have some hens that are going on 10+ years and they have been through more then a couple of roosters.

 

[muesky]

Hi everyone!
Reading posts about feed and just wanted to chime in about alternatives to add to feed that have multiple benefits. DE is an easily digestible form of calcium and will kill off most intestinal parasites. Giving chickens crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper in the winter will raise their body temperature. I use alfalfa pellets sparingly because most of my birds a free rangers. The ones in the grow-out and breeder pens get the alfalfa more often. Also the hay bales I get for my llamas are near the coop, which serves several purposes; first the chickens eat the seeds and some of the hay which is really good in the winter when foraging is really slim (this year is going to be especially so), they spread the hay around so it does not just sit in piles to mold or rot and lastly they eat the bugs that are attracted to the hay. Usually I get a small bale of hay and break it into pieces to put in the yard for the chickens to scratch up but will probably not be doing that this year because of the cost.

Speaking of hay I just bought a round bale today. $115 dollars, ouch! The one thing I can say is I know the guy I bought it from and his fields are really clean, so it is worth it. It was funny when he loaded it in my truck. The truck dropped 6 inches, scared the crap out of me. Glad no one was around to see me unloading it, sure know I looked ridiculous trying to roll that bale out. Still need to get one more plus a few small bales to get me through the winter. $$$$$

I have a question. Is it okay for chickens to eat acorns? I have a bunch of big oaks which have been dropping nuts like crazy and I have seen several of the chickens eating the ones that have cracked open. Not much I can do to keep them from it but still worried.

 

[michaeldaugherty]

HI every one injoyd reading all your post..Good to see you muesky an thank's for all the info..Ben a long weekin was going to the city but got calld out on my job so just got back in..Thot i would see more post from the chicken show..Oldcowboy came by today after the show said they sure had alot of nice bird's to look at..Macy an i seen alot of dear but they wer just to far away.

 

[nnbreeder]

You know it wasn't too many years ago that I mulched the garden with Alfalfa hay. Talk about a boost for the veggies!

Tannin, which is a substance found in Oak can be hazardous to animals. Especially horses.

http://www.thewayofhorses.com/10_08_acorns.html

I will keep looking, as you know there is not much info on chickens.

 

[nnbreeder]

Michael what kind of rifle is that? The action looks a lot like my Mauser.