***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Ksane]

Very interesting:
Generally, sheep require about 5 ppm (parts per million or mg/kg) of Copper in their total diet
In contrast, cattle require about 10 ppm of Copper in their diet and can tolerate Copper levels ten times higher than sheep.
Non-ruminants, such as pigs and chickens, tolerate even higher levels of Copper. Growing pigs are often fed 100 to 250 ppm to improve performance.
According to the Salt Institute, the toxic level of Copper in the diet of chickens ranges from 250 to 800 ppm.
I guess I'll keep the sheep minerals I've got for my 1 pet Barbado sheep and get horse or cattle minerals for the chickens.

 

[GotGame]

I am making my final cuts for this year, and decided to let go of this Brazilian stag. Figured I would put it in here before taking it to auction.

 

[GotGame]

Quote:
The horse minerals work very well and are quite easy to find in 25-50 lb bags. I like to use Goat blocks, they are 18-22% protien and very high in vitamin and mineral content, I just place one in teh grow out pens and they last about 2-3 months.

Ah, good to know, thank ya!

old*cowboy :

Is the Harrah store back up and running. I fed their feed for awhile and my birds loved it also. I liked it a lot too as it was less expencive. But it got to where it was hit and miss on them having it on days I was in OKC. So I would have to buy something else and I hate flip flopping feeds. I have since talked to Big V out of McAlister and they told me Weatherford had a coop that sold their feeds. I called the coop and they said they did not carry the gamecock ration, but would if there was a market. I told them how many I know in this area that would feed it, so they brung in a pallet last week. Its 2 dollars a bag higher than the Harrah feed, but they told me they would keep it in stock so that in itself is worth something. Then when you consider I only bought Harrah feed when I was in OKC at doctors, this way I dont have to make a special trip to OKC if I run out and dont have to be in OKC already. The Black rooster from Big V is much cleaner and the birds seem to like it well too. Have used horse mineral and it works good.

Horse minerals it is. I do have a full bag of sheep minerals (has a lot less copper), I guess I could use that until it's gone. Horse minerals make sense to me as they're getting vitamins and minerals in their other food anyway, I'm just not sure how much exactly. If they happen to need more they'll at least have access to loose minerals.
The guy at Guthrie Grain had told me a month ago they'd sold the place, then the other day he told me the deal fell through and they're just flat closing it. They've pretty much got all their stuff sold out. I really like that older guy, Jerry, a lot that works there, too. Nice guy and always so friendly. He said Harrah will be mixing it at their plant, I asked specifically. Course we all know how that can change, too. I really love this stuff. I can call a week ahead once a month if I need to. If it gets to the point that they don't have it on a regular basis I'll have to figure something else out. I'd love to find someplace that sells Black or Red Rooster around here. I *think Shawnee is the closest & that would be fine since I'd only go once a month. I'd like to switch out one for the other every month. I bet that'd be good for the birds in addition to the Nutrena All Flock. Slightly different ingredients, give them a bit of change every month. Great idea you just gave me lol

old*cowboy :

I may have bragged prematurly last night Teach. It is sleeting outside now.

Yea, looks like I should've kept my big mouth shut, too.

Quote:
Thanks for the input. I didn't realize so many of you use minerals with the chickens. Such a good idea, too.

I quit feeding the Harrah feed because I was left high and dry twice on feed, and then no one would answer the phone at that store over a period of four days. I switched to black rooster game feed, and I mix in an equal portion of sweet grains, half that amount of oat extender and a quarter that amount of floating cat fish food.
50lbs black rooster
50lbs sweet grains
25lbs oat extender
12.5lbs cat fish food

That makes it 16.5% protein, and 3.25% fat, at a cost of roughly $12.75 per 50lbs. Would be a lot easier if I had a concrete mixer.​

 

[GotGame]

Now you could make that same mixture minus the cat fish food it would be roughly $12.20 per 50lbs, and 14.6% protein, 3% fat. I will likely to that route next time. I made this mixture up because it is a pretty balanced food i buy it all at one store, and they always have it in stock.

 

[upcdayz]

Have been reading about what everyone is feeding their birds. I think I need to change or add to what my chickens are currently getting because they're not as plump as I would like, and they act like they're hungry all the time. Currently they're getting Nutrena All Flock. I just started using that about a week ago, so maybe that will help, but before that they were getting layer feed. No particular brand, just what was available where ever I was shopping when I needed chicken feed (Atwoods or TSC.) They get occasional table scraps that can vary quite a bit - bread, tidbits from whatever meat was for dinner, leftover veggies - and one or two times a week I'll throw out some wild bird seed with an extra scoop of black oil sunflower seeds. They really like those. Three of the five outdoor hens are still laying regularly so I'm happy with that, they just need more plumpness (is that a word?) Suggestions welcome.

Edited to add that they LOVE dry cat food. When I set a bowl out to feed the resident stray cat, the chickens eat more of it than the cat does.

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
That sounds great if I could find the ingredients. Where do you get your Black Rooster? The ingredients in the Black and Red rooster are awesome. I remember looking it up for NanaKat. What I like is they actually *list the ingredients.

 

[GotGame]

I get all of them from S&S Feed in the old part of Shawnee. Same company owns the feed store in Chandler. Chandler carries the red rooster, s&s carries the black. The oat extender can only be purchased at s&s though.

 

[Teach97]

it is stupid cold and wet and snowy and I am getting tired of being inside

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
Hmmm....Red Rooster's got 18% protein and Black's got 13% (which is probably what I need) but Chandler is a lot closer than Shawnee. But I'm really liking your mixture....especially since I'll free feed them Nutrena anyway. By 'sweet grain', do you mean sweet feed? If I can get everything at S&S to mix up enough for a month that'd sure be handy. The price isn't that much different that feeding straight Nutrena. But I like the idea of feeding those multiple kinds of grain.

 

[NanaKat]

Been busy on the thread...spent some time catching up. Good to see Doc back on.

Even with all the cold, another hen has gone broody on me so I placed 3 CW, 3 Minorca, 2 Cochin, and 2 Aussie/Cochin cross eggs and a Delaware/Cochin egg under her. She is in a brooding cage now.
The Blue Cochin just started laying and the eggs are small, but not tiny. Cochins do lay small to medium eggs (so my research tells me). Will candle those in two weeks to see if they are growing...rather than break one open to look for the bullseye, find it was fertile and kick myself for wasting a good egg.
I'm going to have to pair the Cochin hen with the Cochin Roo and pull feathers to improve fertility and keep a good check on fertility. We want pure eggs to hatch...don't we...

Will candle Lucie's eggs tomorrow to see how she is doing. She sure gets grumpy when you mess with her....good broody girl!