Silkie thread!

[marquisella]

Quote:

 

[marquisella]

I have some wheat berries downstairs. I tried sprouting them once and giving them to the chickens but they didnt' seem interested, and I was shocked! blah. should I try again?

I have sprouted plain oat seeds you buy at a mill successfully. The chickens loved them. Its just kinda a chore for me to do it in the winter when they could use it most.

My local mill has fish meal at $65 for 88 lbs. I use just a little bit when I mix up feed. Its 60% protein so goes a long way, and its fish so have the amino acids that chickens need.

 

[sheeshshe]

hmmm. no incubator and no broody silkies at the moment. BOO!!!!!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Ju
Good luck!! My dad tried that with a stray tom our neighbors adopted that kept beating the crap out of our desexed cat.

The day it got inside peed behind the lounge and tried to beat him up in our own house dad caught him, jammed him in a box, and was taking him to the shelter.

Trouble was this thing howled and carried on like you wouldn't believe. Think it was really half feral. And it made so much noise when he was loading it in his van the neighbors noticed. He had to drive round then let it go again because had it suddenly vanished there wouldn't have been much doubt by them what had happened to it lol

That REALLY stinks! Honestly though, when (not if) the cat disappears, I seriously don't think she'd have much doubt about who made it go away. I've asked her several times to keep the blasted thing inside and she still chooses to put him out (probably bc he uses her house as a toilet, just like my car and house). So, IMO, she's just begging for something to happen to it (not too mention I heard her and a friend of hers discussing the cats horrible actions and giggling about it). The cat appears sick anyway, so IMO taking it to a shelter would be doing it a kindness. But, I dunno. I can't SSS it, bc we don't own a gun anymore (besides bb guns). I dunno, but he needs to go :/
Nikki

 

[ChicksNherps]

What's a good feed for Silkies? I have some that I'd like to show in April and I changed them off the layer pellet to a 16% crumble. I'm not really sure what else to add in there to help them out. I've been reading all sorts of things but my head is starting to spin.

I never was good at any of this nutrition stuff...humans or animals.
I mixed up some shell less sunflower seed in the crumble. I was also told flax seed is good for them. Now the problem is, I don't know what any of this is. I do know that the sunflower seed is a good source of protein. What does the flax seed do?

Oh, a woman I bought some Cochins from, recomended this for a feed: 20% crumble (which our feed store didn't sell), Sea Kelp concentrate, Flax Seed, Wheat Germ, and Brewers yeast.
How's that for a mix?

I also read all the fermented feed -talk you guys had in this thread. I don't want to start up on that sort of a 'project' just yet and confuse our staff.

It's not rocket science if I were to make the feed, all they have to do is feed the birds, but sometimes even a simple task like that that seems very difficult for some people around here.

I use blue seal multi flock grower. It's 21% protein and I like it a lot. I mix in whole oats, sunflower seeds, and harvest delight treat. You should be able to get it in connecticut.

The one I use is a pellet but if your looking for crumbles this one will work good
http://bluesealstores.com/catalog/product/10364/home-fresh-chick-n-game-bird-startergrower-crumbles

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: I've told my DH many times, don't fall down in the chicken pen and just lay there. I'd be wondering what happened to you

 

[peepblessed]

I've told my DH many times, don't fall down in the chicken pen and just lay there. I'd be wondering what happened to you

Yep! In the large fowl pen it would definitely be scary but in the silkie pen, they are too picky to eat an old bird like me!

 

[mama2my4]

Well so far all 7 of my "homegrown" eggs look like they are going to hatch in the cartons (4 out, the remaining 3 with good pips). The peeps are so funny. They actually hop back up in a chill. I still have 6 (out of 18) of the shipped eggs with no pips. Maybe tonight. I did lose one of the shipped eggs. It pipped with lots of blood.

 

[Sanna]

Wait.. Staff?

Yeah.. I live and work on a large non-profit rescue farm. That's why we have staff.

We even run a riding school here. Horses are my main job. Chickens for fun.

Yes, I have pullets that are nice, but not males....Do you have any cockerels from him?Yes, I have pullets that are nice, but not males....Do you have any cockerels from him?

I don't have any cockerels left. Finally found all of them homes. An old roommate of mine has two of this guys sons, both grey. They must be two years old by now. But they have huge, ugly combs.

If I remember right, one of them has too many toes. One looks like my rooster (a little darker), the other is mostly black with the grey hackles and all.

People closer to you can tell you good brands that are available in your area. Only a few brands are sold nationally. Purina is one, Manna Pro is another. I use Manna Pro and am happy with it. Sunflower and flax seeds provide good oils. Safflower seeds are also good. None of these are for increasing protein. Pumpkin seed WILL raise protein levels. So will meat or fish. IMO, 16% is too low, especially during or after a molt. Try a turkey/gamebird starter or grower ration. They usually have higher protein content. I'm wondering if the crumble you switched to is merely a layer crumble rather than a layer pellet?

Brewers yeast, wheat germ and sea kelp are good nutrition supplements

I meant to write 18% crumble. I don't know how I came up with 16%.

I use blue seal multi flock grower. It's 21% protein and I like it a lot. I mix in whole oats, sunflower seeds, and harvest delight treat. You should be able to get it in connecticut.

The one I use is a pellet but if your looking for crumbles this one will work good
http://bluesealstores.com/catalog/product/10364/home-fresh-chick-n-game-bird-startergrower-crumbles

I think I better call some local feed stores and see if I can find a store somewhere that sells these things. The store down the road doesn't seem to have much of a selection.

I don't remember if they sell Blue Seal products...? I know they sell the harvest delight treat bags because I just bought one of them last week.

 

[ceocka]

I am looking for some silkie eggs.