Surviving Minnesota!

[EMorical]

Yes. We did the Ancestry.com DNA test for my Father In Law as a Christmas Gift. He had a friend do it and he became interested in doing it...mentioned it this fall. I made a mental note for Xmas. He has known he's Swiss and Hungarian but the rest he did not know. So we sent it in.

While it's been processing I've built a family tree (free on the site). It's very interesting and a bit time consuming. I can see why people get into it though. But I have too many irons in the fire to sign up for more advanced searches (which cost $ -- monthly membership) and just the investment of time alone. Over Christmas I had some time off to build up a family tree...but then it sort of dead-ends off after U.S. Census's run out. Advanced searches get you foreign paperwork as well. But then I'm thinking I don't know how to read German or Norwegian...so I'm done.

Fantastic! Thanks for the info! My mom, as a gift for my dad's side of the family one year, did a family tree and history for them - I think as far back as she could possibly go at that point (which was 10+ years ago) ....pages and pages and pages of info. We were JUST talking about seeing if we can find some new branches/names/etc and naturally, this lead to discussions about DNA tests. Definitely will think about trying it now

Thanks!!

 

[I Love Layers]

Ok so my older sisters boyfriend made some comment about cutting their chickens beaks. I asked why he said they were eating the eggs, I told him they don't have enough calcium or the correct feed then and he said that they were getting to much calcium and they had the right feed. So my question is, is it possible to give chickens to much calcium

 

[duluthralphie]

You may be surprised . We recently went back 1 more generation on my Swedish Great Grandmothers side . Old church records are becoming available . Not sure if it was translated or not . DW did not say . You can at least recognize names .

I am so glad to see you are Swedish and not Lessor Scandinavian!

 

[duluthralphie]

Ok so my older sisters boyfriend made some comment about cutting their chickens beaks. I asked why he said they were eating the eggs, I told him they don't have enough calcium or the correct feed then and he said that they were getting to much calcium and they had the right feed. So my question is, is it possible to give chickens to much calcium

I do not think so, I think it is like any other mineral or vitamin, what the body cannot store or use is passed through. I have free will oyster shells for mine and they haven't died on me.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ok so my older sisters boyfriend made some comment about cutting their chickens beaks. I asked why he said they were eating the eggs, I told him they don't have enough calcium or the correct feed then and he said that they were getting to much calcium and they had the right feed. So my question is, is it possible to give chickens to much calcium

Oh I hate doing this...but I say yes. sorry ralphie. This is just from page skimming information at the tip of my brain sort of stuff. But I've read about chickens having calcium as free choice always. I think if the birds are not laying especially. Formulated feeds will have it included for LAYING HENS. Layer Feed. I've read that too much calcium say for a rooster is hard on their kidneys. So I imagine a non laying hen (Winter break or what have you) it would have similar results...? Just conclusions based on the snippets I've read. I did not have show quality rooster so he just ate what the girls ate. I think I did some spurts of Flock Raiser for him. But then I wanted to get back on track with egg laying...so he ate his share of Layer rations too.

Calcium is also found in the blood as an electrolyte for heart rhythms. Just something to think about.

Edited to add that on beak cutting I would try some other strategies first. Like Picking in eggs more frequently. Not a bad idea in North Dakota with Freezing temps anyways. And trying golf balls or porcelain eggs to dupe the egg eater. I would also see --spend some time to see if it's just one rather than cutting the beaks on all the birds.

 

[I Love Layers]

Oh I hate doing this...but I say yes.  sorry ralphie. This is just from page skimming information at the tip of my brain sort of stuff. But I've read about chickens having calcium as free choice always.  I think if the birds are not laying especially.  Formulated feeds will have it included for LAYING HENS.  Layer Feed.  I've read that too much calcium say for a rooster is hard on their kidneys.  So I imagine a non laying hen (Winter break or what have you) it would have similar results...?  Just conclusions based on the snippets I've read.  I did not have show quality rooster so he just ate what the girls ate.  I think I did some spurts of Flock Raiser for him.  But then I wanted to get back on track with egg laying...so he ate his share of Layer rations too.

Calcium is also found in the blood as an electrolyte for heart rhythms.  Just something to think about. 

Edited to add that on beak cutting I would try some other strategies first.  Like Picking in eggs more frequently.  Not a bad idea in North Dakota with Freezing temps anyways.  And trying golf balls or porcelain eggs to dupe the egg eater.  I would also see --spend some time to see if it's just one rather than cutting the beaks on all the birds.

I don't think they keep birds over the winter or have any roosters. And I know they don't feed layer feed I think they feed rolled oats so I was laughing when he was trying to argue with me.

 

[I Love Layers]

Here's another good question.
Minorca
OR
Leghorn
I can't decide between these 2 breeds!!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

The buffies are laying! The buffies are laying! 3 eggs from 3 birds...in one day. Not bad except one bird is a roo.on Sunday night I checked on everyone gave a stern warning. Monday morning daughter did the chores and nothing. Monday night I brought home feed and did the chores only to find 3 eggs. What the heck.

Awesome! I love Orps. Such friendly birds.

My friend Shannon the Kindergarten Teacher is! She teaches her lessons and then has chicks that need homes. Between me and two other ladies she does pretty well homing those sweet birds.

The Chicks after a week or two in a kindergarten class are not as socialized as one might think. It took me a while to get June and Patsy to trust me. I think it's important for children to learn how to hold animals. I understand and am a proponent. But I also see those chicks sick to death of being handled and not wanting anything to do with it by the time I get them. Shannon is VERY good with setting boundaries and teaching good animal care. But it's still probably too much for those littles. Sooo....I do a little mini 'rehab' with them for what I want out of them. Let them know they can trust me. Let them know I don't always have to pick them up. That they have their own free will so to speak. But when I do pick them up...they're going to get a minute of care and mealworm or two and know that it's not so bad to be caught and held by me. Those are my goals. For multiple reasons: a catchable bird is a good thing.

I remember doing that in 1st grade and I LOVED it! Guess who got to take the chicks home then

I wish we had the chance to hatch chicks in school. What a cool learning opportunity. Schools should do more of that stuff.

 

[duluthralphie]

Oh I hate doing this...but I say yes. sorry ralphie. This is just from page skimming information at the tip of my brain sort of stuff. But I've read about chickens having calcium as free choice always. I think if the birds are not laying especially. Formulated feeds will have it included for LAYING HENS. Layer Feed. I've read that too much calcium say for a rooster is hard on their kidneys. So I imagine a non laying hen (Winter break or what have you) it would have similar results...? Just conclusions based on the snippets I've read. I did not have show quality rooster so he just ate what the girls ate. I think I did some spurts of Flock Raiser for him. But then I wanted to get back on track with egg laying...so he ate his share of Layer rations too.

Calcium is also found in the blood as an electrolyte for heart rhythms. Just something to think about.

Edited to add that on beak cutting I would try some other strategies first. Like Picking in eggs more frequently. Not a bad idea in North Dakota with Freezing temps anyways. And trying golf balls or porcelain eggs to dupe the egg eater. I would also see --spend some time to see if it's just one rather than cutting the beaks on all the birds.

I think I should have made my answer more clear. or explained it.

I guess I never take into account long term effects on chickens, because I just do not think of them as a long lived pet 2-4 years and I am happy. Most go closer to 2-3. I tend to think of them more as a farm animal than a pet.

I feed my "showbirds" Higher protein game bird feed at times, other times they just get layer. It is just more hassle than I care to do to change the feed for all of them. If I have a show bird, turkey or guinea chick they all get game bird feed. If I have roosters with hens they get layer feed, or if I feel cheap they get corn and whatever they find in the woods/yard.

When I have the turkeys and guineas ready for breeding and in breeding pens I do give them Game bird Breeder, However, I think I am the only one, the guy at Marties feed store said I was the only one that buys it. He said they only carry it when I ask for it.

 

[MNChickMom]

Good morning. I think I meet all the qualifications to win.