Silkie thread!

[Batty about Banties]

I am wanting to get my cousins silkies to show at fair and was wondering how big they would be in 5 mOnths? If I get them as chicks now

 

[countrygirl74]

sorry, I'm still curious as to why the second bucket.I understand its for drainage reasons ,but why can't u leave out holes and do just one bucket? Or does the excess build up toxins or something

I personally do just a one bucket system. I use an organic grower mash for all my chickens and ducks. Sometimes I will add some oregano, garlic, and/or pumpkin seeds - but most of the time I don't think about it and just give them their ff as is.
I strain it by just the scoop itself and put it into their dishes. I have never cleaned my bucket yet and have just been adding and stirring for about 3 months now - never had mold or anything but I do live in a dry climate. I'll be interested to see if I notice any major changes over the summer when the swamp cooler is on...
I found for myself that the 1 bucket was just easy - no more work than feeding dry feed really - and as Mumsy said, lots of benefits!!



This scoop is a strainer so I don't have to use a separate strainer - just lift the mash out with the scoop, let some water drain, and serve!

 

[littlecritters]

I won a junior chicken show in florida. She won best of variety. I also have another silkie rooster that won best of breed and variety

Congratulations on your wins!

 

[silkiemomma42]

anyone have an opinion on having an LGD, or just a guard dog who is also good with the livestock, on .53 acres? The house we want (and pretty much the only option we have) is only on .53 acres =/ I really want a Komondor but it's close to the neighbors and they are known to bark a lot. There are Newfkoms who are mixes of Newfies and Komondors who would probably be quieter and I really like them but the only breeders one looks to be a puppy mill and the other is way too far away

any other ideas? I don't want thick fur, I like "hair'" that continuously grows. I also want a large dog.

my husband and I have 2 great pyrenees females. They are big and incredibly intimidating, but under all that wooly white fur, they are the mot gentle girls. I don't think we would ever have a different breed. Great with the chicks and goats, and very easy to find puppies that have been raised since birth in the environment of protecting livestock.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

The bloom is hard to describe. Kind of greyish, white-ish. It should be stirred back into the mash before scooping and feeding. That bloom is good and desirable.  Mold is fuzzy and nasty.  The bloom is not. Vegetable based FF should smell pickl-y. Yeasty. Not unpleasant. When there is garlic and oregano in the mash, it smells like Italian food is cooking in the house. My house in 68 degrees too. If you regularly stir and add fresh grain based feed mix and water  to your mash ferment, it should be fine. If you started your original ferment with un-acv and keep adding water when you add more grain that should be good too.  I'm wondering if your feed has a meat by product or something. My ferment stunk when I used Game Bird grower. It had meat protein in it. I went back to vegetable based crumble. I'll take a picture of the 'bloom' on the top of the mash tomorrow morning and post it.
My Silkies really love the stuff.  The chicks look so cute with it all over their fuzzy faces.  

Maybe that's what was on the top if the feed. I was making it but the last batches Had the whiteish stuff on it. I was just afraid it was bad. I'll check the ingredients on the bag. All I know us that the chickens love it and I'm using way to much feed not making it. Where do you get the herbs and pumpkin seeds for them?

 

[RLeschnik]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what your thoughts were on my 3 week old partridge silkie. Not sure if its a pullet or cockrel as yet. Unsure if i should retain him/ her for breeding. Im a beginner and am new to chickens. Have been doing alot of reading. And have now made contact with a local breeder.

Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[aoxa]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what your thoughts were on my 3 week old partridge silkie. Not sure if its a pullet or cockrel as yet. Unsure if i should retain her for breeding. Im a beginner and am new to chickens. Have been doing alot of reading. And have now made contact with a local breeder.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Male, and I would not judge breeding just yet, though he is missing feathering on the middle toe.

 

[silkiemomma42]

RLeschnik, with the upright posture of that chock. It makes me think male, but at 3 weeks I think it may be a little too early for sure. Pretty peep just the same though!!

 

[Suzierd]

Here's part one of the FF series if you want more info.
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/03/benefits-of-fermenting-feed-for.html

 

[Suzierd]

I'm going to try the ff too. Does it matter what kind of container you use? I have a stainless steel container i would like to use. Would that be ok?

Use plastic or glass.