Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
Gives new meaning to the phrase "toilet water".

I put in an extra waterer and enough food for a week, including treats and rehydrated alfalfa cubes. Laura's boyfriend will check in tomorrow (he loves the chickens) and she'll be home Friday. Either one of them can, you know, collect all the eggs.

Today's problems: leaking coop roof and mold in the stored container of food (tightly sealed plastic container in the house). When I get back, I'll have to add some more shingles and start buying smaller bags of feed. All this for a bunch of freeloading coop insulators...

I love my girls!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Suzanne, it's always the way. Go away for a few days and the roof leaks, and who else know what happens. Good that you have someone to check up on them. I know you don't need to be told, but dont feed them moldy food.

Have a Happy Thaksgiving!

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
Sure, rub it in!

I have to admit that yesterday we only got five. The slacker had better turn herself in. I'm expecting to see one more in there by later this afternoon.

 

[smkchick]

Yeah, I'll dump what was in the container. The feeder food looks fine. I have to check the bag that's out in the shed, but if the stuff in the house is moldy, I imagine the bag in the shed is too. *sigh*

Maybe I can pick up a smaller bag somewhere in Ulster County this weekend. I'm not happy with the Nutrena that I got. I looks so bready to me. Bakery byproducts? Am I feeding my girls leftover donuts?

I really need to find a good food, but with only 5 hens, it's hard to ship small quantities without breaking the bank. I guess I could go back to my local poultry farm and buy it from them, outrageous as the price is. It's organic and I can buy 5 or 10 lbs at a time.

 

[smkchick]

Quote:
Sure, rub it in!

I have to admit that yesterday we only got five. The slacker had better turn herself in. I'm expecting to see one more in there by later this afternoon.

Look for the one staring down at the ground, avoiding your eyes. That's what I do with my students!
(It helps if you stand with your hands on your hips and tap your foot.)

 

[goldeneggtees]

Did you ever try agway in Hicksville?

Quote:

 

[smkchick]

Hicksville Agway was a bit of a disappointment. Mostly equine stuff, and geared to ship out, not for people to come in and make purchases. Same with the place in Hauppauge. I like Riverhead Agway because I can look at ingredients, etc.

I'd really like a good high protein layer feed that's not all soy. I'd love to see some meat protein in there, although I've started adding ultrakibble to the regular food.

Now that I'm working again, I'm willing to invest some $$ into finding a really good feed. Although now I have to shop for smaller quantities to prevent spoilage.

Or get more chickens.

 

[goldeneggtees]

it's not a big store, that's for sure. i use layena crumbles but may switch back to pellets because i'm a little tired of all the waste. not to mention that it gets moldy when knocked out on the soil. i only feed outside since i have troubles with rats inside the coop. except of course when the weather is crazy and i lock them up inside, then i feed inside the coop. i love the fact that they'll deliver, i hated driving out east every few months.

this is the breakdown of ingredients in the layena… I didn't see any soy but maybe I'm missing something.

Protein, not less than 16.0%
Lysine, not less than 0.55%
Methionine, not less than 0.25%
Fat, not less than 2.5%
Fiber, not more than 7.0%
Calcium, not less than 3.25%
Calcium, not more than 4.25%
Phosphorus, not less than 0.5%
Salt, not less than 0.3%
Salt, not more than 0.8%
Vitamin A 3,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E 10.5 IU/lb

 

[stoopid]

Suzanne, there is a Purina dealer in Calverton. I just bought a few bags to see if there is any difference.
They are only open like 9-5 during the week, and until 2 on Saturday.
I think they had other brands, but Vera feeds Purina, and her birds look so good, I wanted to try.
I have been using Nutrena. If you want to split a bag, let me know. Roberta

 

[ChickenAl]

Almost all of the feeds contain soy, unless they stipulate soy free. They need the soy to get the protein levels up enough.

The Countryside Organics that I use adds field peas and fish meal for the protein. It comes out to about $24.50 for 50 lbs. it ain't cheap because of the shipping. It's about $16 for shipping to me, but not sure out to LI.

I think the Purina is probably fine if you don't need to have organic. You can get coupons all over the place which brings the cost down.

I go through about 50 lbs a month with six girls. I keep the feed in a metal garbage can in the basement. So far no mold.

 

[ChickenAl]

Forgot to tell you I add the UltraKibble at about 10% of their ration.