South Carolina

[meganblythe]

From what I have read it is not the best for the chickens. The soy in feed is not fermented and is not an efficient protein as been touted. It can limit calcium and vitamin D. In addition, it is one to the most common allergens. Those eating eggs of hens being feed soy can have a reaction. These are just some of the things I have learned. Not to mention that most soy produced along with corn is grown from GMO seed, which due to the producers preventing independent studies, no one knows its effects on future generations. Still learning...new at it all.

Pickitfarm - I use feed from Swansea Milling Company (http://www.swanseamilling.com/default.html) near Columbia and am extremely happy with it. I'm guessing it does include soy (don't have the ingredients list from my last bag of feed), but the folks that run Swansea are very concerned about the quality of the ingredients they use. They also sell feed that is pre-mixed with Fertrell Nutri-Balancer. I don't know where you are but they have distributors around the state and deliver to a number of farms. I'd recommend contacting them and asking what they put in their feed - depending on how much feed you need they may be willing to do a soy free batch for you...?

 

[RedBugPoultry]

I am still agonizing over my poor girl... I hate that I am at work and she is home sitting on an empty nest.
This is how I left her this morning

I do like the nest box!

 

[RedBugPoultry]

If I was to build a pen for this, how big would it need to be?

I keep my spare RIR rooster, that I use for breaking up the hens, in a 5 x 9 kennel now but it really does not need to be that big, he is just a big rooster. I use to have him in a 3 x 4 pen but that just seemed a little small because I sometime have up to 4 hens in with him. If a person does not have a spare rooster an all wire 24" by 24" pen hanging where the bird see the ground below will also work but I find if I do not leave them in long enough they go back to brooding pretty quickly. I have the spare rooster and this seem to be a good job for him and it give him a purpose.

 

[pickitfarm]

Thank you for the information Megan. I will definitely contact them. We are located in Johnston, SC. It would be over an hour but that is definitely closer than going to Charleston or Greenville for better feed...though they are both lovely places to visit and my arm does not need to be twisted. It would not be cost effective. Since we are only 20 minutes from Augusta, GA, we are looking there in the area as well. Thank you for the tip.

 

[RockerHen]

One of my 3 month old silkie chicks.....before and after playing in the rain

 

[EggieRowe]

I keep my spare RIR rooster, that I use for breaking up the hens, in a 5 x 9 kennel now but it really does not need to be that big, he is just a big rooster. I use to have him in a 3 x 4 pen but that just seemed a little small because I sometime have up to 4 hens in with him. If a person does not have a spare rooster an all wire 24" by 24" pen hanging where the bird see the ground below will also work but I find if I do not leave them in long enough they go back to brooding pretty quickly. I have the spare rooster and this seem to be a good job for him and it give him a purpose.

I think the open wire frame pen sounds the least cruel. It should be a good Memorial weekend project.

One of my 3 month old silkie chicks.....before and after playing in the rain

LOL! So cute!

 

[pickitfarm]

RedBugPoultry - We have not had a broody hen - yet - but I expect it will occur, especially since we have Buff Orpingtons which have this tendency. She really does look forlorn. Just remember is it a part of their nature. It is a shame you can't give her some eggs to hatch.

 

[pickitfarm]

But she had sooooo....much getting this way....Funny!

 

[RedBugPoultry]

RedBugPoultry - We have not had a broody hen - yet - but I expect it will occur, especially since we have Buff Orpingtons which have this tendency. She really does look forlorn. Just remember is it a part of their nature. It is a shame you can't give her some eggs to hatch.

I think you are talking about JenGalbraith's bird. I have more than enough eggs here to put under a hen but I have way too many chicken at the moment too.

 

[JenGalbraith]

I am having a terrible day at work and this just made me literally LOL Thank you for that!

One of my 3 month old silkie chicks.....before and after playing in the rain