THere are a number of good people here who IMO are worth listening to. I elarn from them-- I have had livestock for a number of years (25) but chickens are relatively new ( 3) and I stillhve much to learn.
FF--- mix waer and feed in a bucket until soupy, add about 1/4 cup unpastureized Braggs ACV to get it started, stir 3-4 times a day is a must. Strain out the amt of feed you want to feed out-- it wont go bad but they need a little time to adjust to the taste then they suck it down FAST. lol
Any good soap will do to wash everything regularly.
Yup, I use readily available pans, Even a plastic frisbee can be useful. I do like popbottle waterers as the chicks can't fall into it and my brooder with wooden sides allows me to stand as many as I want along a wall. I put vinegar in their water to prevent the slime, too. THe nipple waterews work well with chicks, and less well with older birds, thought my ducks love them. I plan to try a new cip waterer instead of the nipple waterer for my older birds ( to cut down on cleaning the waterers they now have) .
As for trhe diabetes-- that is one of my goals in life: to prevent getting diabetes as I am already on the fringes. THe docs were useless to me as I was more interested in preventing it than they were in even mentioning it to me. SO I eat a diet mean to reduce the insulin surges and had droped my cholesterol numbers down to great numbers and a ttl at 177 ( not too low and not high either = just right) DESPITE being over weight. I have dumped high carb foods and found pretty much low carb substitutes for all the old foods. I was an avid bread baker but one I realized all that bread was killing me, I quit baking bread. I have found substitutes for some breads but mainly eat veg and meats and lot s of eggs now instead. ANd lot of fatty meats. I don't hold with the current teacheings of the diabetes doctors or the dietians-- I listened and it was all nonsense so I just follow a low carb diet and THAT keeps my numbers in line, and I"m not hungry. I realize not every body is exactly alike, but I decided for myself that when I had gestational diebetes and I was on insulin that a LC diet controled the blood sugars better than the insulin by far. Later I would learn that insulin actually makes the diabetes WORSE. So I kept to eating salads and green beans and such for breakfast, and ate fall kinds of meats and fish, berriesand nuts, and fresh vegies ( just no breads, starches and high starch vegeis) and kept my A1c to about 7.5 pretty good.
I've done a lot of readying and I will live a LC diet forever, and I'm teaching my kids how to cook low carb, even cakes and muffins and such. Basically replace wheat flour with nut flours and bran products. SOme are better than others but they ate cornmeal and bran pancakes with sunflower seeds this morning with out complaint!! Yes I'm shocked! Guess they are getting used to the higher protein and higher fiber foods. We dont use much sugar anymore either. ABout20% of what we used to use. When I am not on BYC I am on a low carb forum where the people are lovely and very helpful and sharing. Low carb is a journey but you would be most welcome as many of us have health issues of one sort or another.
oops I've gone on and on, so sorry-- I"ll elave it all as I do think it is worth something. PM me if you want the lc site.
