Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Glad your grandpa did well.

I had to "separate" a EE cockerel last night. He is in my newest Teen pen I moved outside about a week ago. Judy and I were sitting watching the SS babies and them as we enjoyed a Mike's. The cockerel decided to start and keep jumping one of Bert Jr's babies. They are like Bert and very timid birds. In addition, the heat yesterday is not good for them, so they just sit in the corner of the pen and pant.

I moved him to his own pen, Ethel's Guinea's playpen. I am not sure what I am going to do with him. He is a very pretty guy, and will most likely turn into a good rooster. The sad part is I had just told Judy, I might keep him and replace Sven with him. He has a better Body type than Sven. He has a better tail set and a longer body. He has a "partridge" color to him. I know when the testosterone hits them they can act like little rapists. If anyone wants him they can have him. He is a son of Sven, Grandson of Ole. It's anyone's guess who is Mother is.

I tried to get a picture of him, but he refused to stand for his mug shot.



This is the best picture I have of him. I am going to move the 4 meat birds out of the pen today. They are just too mellow to exist in a pen of teens. I will put them with the older Bert babies and Bertha. Bert is still recovering in a hospital bed. He is doing great. I doubt there will be any fighting. They are not fighters.

Still leaves me to figure out what to do with this guy. so.... SAVE HIS LIFE and take him...or he will become a non-Cornish, non-hen Cornish game hen.


Tonight we are going to the Fair in Sauk Rapids, ( I know I say St Cloud, but it really is Sauk Rapids.)....

 

[Cebarmlds]

My grandpa did good in surgery. He will be in over the weekend. His heart started up right away so that was good. My uncle left first to head back to his ranch, then my aunt left cause she has to work, we left later. By Glen Ullin we got hailed on for the second time in a week, in my moms new 2004(i think) pickup.
Got home around about half an hour ago. Depending on how things go we might go back to Bismarck tomorrow

That's great, hope he has a fast recovery.

 

[Cebarmlds]

My 3 EE cockerels are going to the processer tomorrow and also the crazy wombat that hatched them. No one wants roosters. Not much meat on the bones but they'll make good soup.

 

[duluthralphie]

My 3 EE cockerels are going to the processer tomorrow and also the crazy wombat that hatched them. No one wants roosters. Not much meat on the bones but they'll make good soup.

I am going to try and fatten mine up before the axe falls. For the 2 of us a small chicken is enough meat. You can always sell the rooster to the Asian bird markets in St Paul. A lot of mine find their way down there.

You own a Wombat? How lucky can you be?


We are thinking of having a Camp Day event again. Judy actually brought it up. We are going to have a skinny chicken camp I think. We have so many young roosters, but I am fattening them up the best I can. I am hoping to average 5 pound carcasses in Oct.

 

[ejb3810]

The posts related to feeding and etc has me thinking about what I feed my birds. I used to feed the juveniles and adults game bird breeder pellets, and some scratch. They largely ignored the scratch especially in the months that they found good eats free ranging.
This year I switched to egg maker pellets and all the birds are doing very well. No scratch as it is a waste of money.

I like the idea of feeding grains as opposed to pellets. even though I know the pellets offer a balanced ration. I have fed some wheat along with the pellets, actually it is in a separate location, and the birds love the whole grain.

I have been tempted to try the Des Moines Complete Layer which is a combination of grains and pellets. Has anyone in this group fed any of the Des Moines poultry rations?
I just had two tons of various pigeon feeds from Des Moines Feed delivered yesterday, actually two pallets of 48 50# bags which is about 2500 lb per pallet. That was an experience for my son who is the skid steer operator, as the back wheels of the machine ended up about 3 ft off the ground. Most of my pigeon club members feed the Des Moines Feeds because the quality is exceptional and the price is very reasonable.
For you confused non GMO people, most or all of the Des Moines Feeds are non GMO. Even so the prices are very good.

Does anyone on here feed primarily grains as opposed to pellets or a ground mash time ration?

I like the KISS philosophy. No sprouts, no fermented stuff, no meal worms & etc. There are too many other worthwhile life's endeavors to be spending time on.

 

[duluthralphie]

I feed a mash made at the local mill, however, during the summer I do not feed much to the free ranging birds. I throw them some scratch, but it is a waste of money most the time. They will leave more than they eat.

I mix my own scratch as it is cheaper than the stuff the mill sells. I give them corn, BOSS, wheat, oats and White Millet. Oats is kind of a waste, however when it sprouts they love it.

My birds prefer kitchen scraps to anything else. Oh and whatever is in season in the garden. I actually got a non-wounded ripe tomato yesterday! Most have little chicken pecks in them.

I am going to look that the Des Moines feeds, where do you order them from? Online?

 

[duluthralphie]

I looked at the prices. My birds will continue to live on the cheap stuff,,,

 

[I Love Layers]

The posts related to feeding and etc has me thinking about what I feed my birds.  I used to feed the juveniles and adults game bird breeder pellets, and some scratch.  They largely ignored the scratch especially in the months that they found good eats free ranging.
This year I switched to egg maker pellets and all the birds are doing very well.  No scratch as it is a waste of money.

I like the idea of feeding grains as opposed to pellets. even though I know the pellets offer a balanced ration.  I have fed some wheat along with the pellets, actually it is in a separate location, and the birds love the whole grain.

I have been tempted to try the Des Moines Complete Layer which is a combination of grains and pellets.  Has anyone in this group fed any of the Des Moines poultry rations?
I just had two tons of various pigeon feeds from Des Moines Feed delivered yesterday, actually two pallets of 48 50# bags which is about 2500 lb per pallet.  That was an experience for my son who is the skid steer operator, as the back wheels of the machine ended up about 3 ft off the ground.  Most of my pigeon club members feed the Des Moines Feeds because the quality is exceptional and the price is very reasonable.
For you confused non GMO people, most or all of the Des Moines Feeds are non GMO.  Even so the prices are very good.

Does anyone on here feed primarily grains as opposed to pellets or a ground mash time ration?

I like the KISS philosophy.  No sprouts, no fermented stuff, no meal worms & etc.  There are too many other worthwhile life's endeavors to be spending time on.

I feed whole corn and whole oats mixed together in one side of my feeder and layer feed in another. My birds eat more of the oats and whole corn which is cheaper. In the winter with 30 laying hens I got 26+ eggs a day.
When I restart my flock spring 2017 I'm going to talk to my JH volleyball coach who's a nutritionist and see what she thinks of what I feed or how I can improve, while still buying less then one bag of layer and 3 of whole corn.
And whole corn is SO cheap!! $6 a bag for 50 lbs here!
I am getting oats for free from a neighbor who needs them out of the grain bim before harvest

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Some good points made Ed. As some of the BYCer s approach fall with their birds going into their first molts optimal nutrition is a good idea to get them through fast.

I usually will throw scratch to get them out of my garage. So they've trained me. I like the purina brand on scratch too as that seems to have the wheat added and millet. Just a quick eyeball. I have not looked at the label like I should. The sprout brand of scratch does not seem as colorful or diverse.
This morning though I've made them go to feed first. Get their crops started on the formulated feed. Get them set up well for the molt. They do free range but in the heat of summer and without a good leading rooster they lie under the hydrangea bush to keep cool and wait for tidbits from the house. With teenagers I don't have a lot of leftovers. They do get potato skins and gristle on steak night though. I did throw a can of tuna out for Sylvia and her 13 feathers Saturday. Unfortunately most of it went to the other girls. Sylvia only a couple bites.

I love layers I hope Gpa has a speedy recovery. Prayers.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Wombats may look cute and cuddly but they are psycho.

Did you know wombats have cube shaped poop?