***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[RetiredArmyWife]

Since I got my chickens I have been feeding them egg laying crumbles and adding oyster shell and grit. I am not using artificial light so nobody is laying anything. I think only one out of the 4 is old enough and one of my marans may be a boy. Is this too much calcium? Will it hurt them? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Amy Farah Fowler]

Quote:
Please keep us informed about your hotwater tank! Ours is still not working right and we may end up having to replace the hunk of junk. I'm really interested in a tankless IF it's not going to be too difficult to change over. Guess you don't just screw them to the wall and hook the water up to them, huh?

Good luck getting yours going... it's too cold to be taking cold showers. lol

The biggest problem is ussually adequate power feeds, if electric. The Gas and Propane units are outstanding. I would also suggest placing a 6 gallon electric tank under the kitchen sink though.
Some whole house units require 2 60 amp 220 volt feeds. for lower flow rate units they require less power but will not support heavy usage.

Thanks for the info. By a 6 gal tank under the sink, do you mean one with a 6 gal tank? I was looking on ebay and found some tankless under sink models for what I thought VERY reasonable prices. I was toying with the idea of getting one for under the sink that would run both the sink and the washer since they are very close to each other.
Also, can you use the same vent for a tankless that you were using for one with a tank? I would definately get a natural gas heater if we decide to get one.

 

[bfrancis]

Quote:
I would say that it is too much.

I put grit in a dish by itself for free choice. If your hens aren't laying yet they won't need all that extra...and if you think you have a little roo all that extra can even damage his kidneys. Since you have oyster shell as well, just place that in a free choice pan as well and feed normal chicken pellets and you should be fine...this is just my opinion, others might have additional info for you.

 

[Kassaundra]

Made it home to check out the garden, was pleasantly suprised the things I thought would be toast were (peppers, okra, tomatoes, squash, beans) but everything else cole, roots, greens (except the chard) peas are all alive and well even the comfrey made it through the freeze.

I have to go to Tulsa to day to meet w/ Gary's allergy Dr. He's wanting to try a new med w/ some potentially nasty side effects, but if it works could give him some real relief. He says Gary just has one more year on the shots and if they don't at least start working they won't, we're 4 years in now. If they do start working he will keep getting them for several more years, but if not then not sure what options he has left. He won't consider moving which I think would help him a lot especially to a costal area where the dominant wind is off the ocean (no pollen there)

 

[GotGame]

old*cowboy :

Quote:
Awesome birds. That spangled hen would look great out here in western Okla.

That spangled asil hen is a beauty. She was here for a short while, trying to get her to lay for me. I love spangled on hard feathered birds. Real excited to raise some asils out of this spangled pair I have.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

Quote:
I would say that it is too much.

I put grit in a dish by itself for free choice. If your hens aren't laying yet they won't need all that extra...and if you think you have a little roo all that extra can even damage his kidneys. Since you have oyster shell as well, just place that in a free choice pan as well and feed normal chicken pellets and you should be fine...this is just my opinion, others might have additional info for you.

I kind of thought that. I think I will put the oyster shell on the ground. Then buy some normal chicken pellets. I will separate the grit on the ground also. They seem to like everything on the ground better then in a dish, so I put a dish in the coop and some food on the ground outside the coop. If I have a roo I think I will have to find a new home for him. My neighbors might get upset if he crows allot, and since I'm limited to 12 chickens in town I don't want babies.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

Quote:
People that are allergy prone may not do better near water. My daughter did terrible when we lived on Okinawa. They think she is allergic to coral dust. she does a little better here. She did terrible in Georgia when she went to meet her future (now current) in laws.

 

[bfrancis]

Does anybody know, is there an auction this weekend? If so, anybody going?

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
The biggest problem is ussually adequate power feeds, if electric. The Gas and Propane units are outstanding. I would also suggest placing a 6 gallon electric tank under the kitchen sink though.
Some whole house units require 2 60 amp 220 volt feeds. for lower flow rate units they require less power but will not support heavy usage.

Thanks for the info. By a 6 gal tank under the sink, do you mean one with a 6 gal tank? I was looking on ebay and found some tankless under sink models for what I thought VERY reasonable prices. I was toying with the idea of getting one for under the sink that would run both the sink and the washer since they are very close to each other.
Also, can you use the same vent for a tankless that you were using for one with a tank? I would definately get a natural gas heater if we decide to get one.

You have to be very carefull with the individual undersink tankless, they will only raise the water temp a set amount at best that is often 40 degrees and at that they have a significant decrease in flow rate to support the temp gain. Not bad for bathroom use but the Kitchen you want 120 degree water for washing dishes, pots pans etc.

The low temp gain from say 50 degree supply water and a gain of 40 will only give you 90 degree water which still feels cool to the touch and will not sterilze anything, not bad for washing hands in bathroom using soap, but not good for sterilizing dishes.

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
I would say that it is too much.

I put grit in a dish by itself for free choice. If your hens aren't laying yet they won't need all that extra...and if you think you have a little roo all that extra can even damage his kidneys. Since you have oyster shell as well, just place that in a free choice pan as well and feed normal chicken pellets and you should be fine...this is just my opinion, others might have additional info for you.

I kind of thought that. I think I will put the oyster shell on the ground. Then buy some normal chicken pellets. I will separate the grit on the ground also. They seem to like everything on the ground better then in a dish, so I put a dish in the coop and some food on the ground outside the coop. If I have a roo I think I will have to find a new home for him. My neighbors might get upset if he crows allot, and since I'm limited to 12 chickens in town I don't want babies.

You should limit the calcium to a degree, if they are getting layer pellets they have all teh calcium they need. too high calcium levels will cause a decreased life span, kidney failure and other problems. Keep teh birds on a grower until point of lay. Once you start to get pullet eggs switch them to a layer.