Texas

[orumpoultry]

If its anything like all the surrounding properties out here... It will be on the market for years. The property on the other side of the ravine property behind us has been posted two years or better. Up the highway some have been listed for five, six, seven years that I know of.

My fixer upper was on the market but rented out for ten years before we finally bought it.

 

[jtn42248]

If its anything like all the surrounding properties out here... It will be on the market for years. The property on the other side of the ravine property behind us has been posted two years or better. Up the highway some have been listed for five, six, seven years that I know of.

My fixer upper was on the market but rented out for ten years before we finally bought it.

Pretty much the same thing over here on this side of the state. Our place was listed on and off for 3 years before we got it. The price we paid was almost 200,000 less than the original listing price 3 years prior. Even then we had a rough 5-6 months of bickering with the owners (who had moved to Houston) before the deal was closed. A lot of these places have been part of a family for so long that they list the property for sale, have a very inflated idea about it's value, and deep down don't really want to let it go. If you find a place that you really want and hang in there with the negotiating (we had a fantastic realtor on our side) you can end up like we did with the "place of your dreams".

 

[StelleKitten]

The place of our dreams would have room for cows, pigs, chickens, goats and whatever other critters we want. It would have room for him a smithy shop and a sealed electronics/chemist lab. It would have a garage with a pit and a sealed and properly ventilated and filtered paint shop for me. The garage would also have room for me to do carbon fiber work again.

The house would have a large kitchen so we can do all of the cooking we want with a walk in pantry to store the stuff we can. The deep freeze would have to be in there somewhere. A dining room that could comfortably seat twelve for family gatherings. The living room would have room for him to set up a home theater his way. (I don't understand it but it involves lots of stuff)

Two bedrooms. Not huge but comfortable. One or two bathrooms. Again not huge but comfortable.

With a wrap around porch.

And we have to be able to go off grid. I don't want to be forced to be on the grid if I don't want to use it. Most of our stuff we have worked out how to run without buying someone's electricity. (he's really into alternative energy sources, even working on his own generator design)

Never going to find that house. Those that have everything we want, usually have four or more bedrooms and are WAY too close to town. We've been looking at land but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for acreage (some places are wanting almost 7k an acre without a building anywhere on it!). We aren't even too picky on location, we just don't want to be near Joshua, Tx. Got an ex there that I don't want to be anywhere near. As long as we stay in Tx and out of the desert we are okay.

 

[wilded]

FYI http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...s-everything-wrong-with-american-health-care/

Not counting the threat to life and health for kids, my wife and I now over 60 and the fact that we are mostly likely an hour or more from health care that could treat a snake bite, the cost is unbelievable. This is why no venomous snake on my property is given a pass. We also spend to much time and money raising livestock and pets to lose them to a snake. One of our trained livestock guardian dogs is worth thousands to us and we already lost one and also three sheep this year to snakebite.

 

[henless]

Just noticed one of my Barred Holland pullets comb and face is way more red than the other 2. Should not be long until I get my first egg from this year's chicks.

Guess I need to install the nest boxes in the pullet coop soon. Need to choose a nesting material though. I had planned on using hay, like I have been using with the hens. However the bail I bought from the feed store last week had what looked like turkey bits bailed in with it, needless to say that bail is not being used. So now trying to figure out what I am going to use. I know the hens prefer the hay to pine shavings. Any suggestions?

My hens prefer the large flake shavings over hay. The prefer the ground over small flake shavings. I ran out of the large ones last year and had to buy the small ones. They pack down a lot, and I had a couple of my hens go to laying on the floor in protest. Luckily, they went back to nest laying once I was able to get some more large flake shavings. I think I've created monsters!

What does everyone feed their chickens? Do you buy a commercial mix or do you mix your own? I've been feeding Texas Naturals, but I'm thinking about changing. I've gotten several eggs that taste like fish over the last few months. Fishmeal is in the TN mix, so I'm assuming that the hen got into a heavy concentrated area of fishmeal. It's not something I enjoy eating for breakfast. Fish eggs.

 

[bnjrob]

My hens prefer the large flake shavings over hay. The prefer the ground over small flake shavings. I ran out of the large ones last year and had to buy the small ones. They pack down a lot, and I had a couple of my hens go to laying on the floor in protest. Luckily, they went back to nest laying once I was able to get some more large flake shavings. I think I've created monsters!

What does everyone feed their chickens? Do you buy a commercial mix or do you mix your own? I've been feeding Texas Naturals, but I'm thinking about changing. I've gotten several eggs that taste like fish over the last few months. Fishmeal is in the TN mix, so I'm assuming that the hen got into a heavy concentrated area of fishmeal. It's not something I enjoy eating for breakfast. Fish eggs.

I tried TX Nat when TSC didn't have our usual feed for several months. Never again. Our birds did not do well on it at all and we are still fixing the problems, by giving them vitamin and mineral supplements in addition to getting them back on our regular feed. For our chicks and keets we use the TSC Dumore 24% protein turkey/quail starter. If you don't have large fowl dual purpose birds like we do, and don't use your birds for any meat purposes or serious breeding, you could probably do a 20% protein chick feed without a problem. After they are about 4-5 months old they go on Purina Flock Raiser

 

[Eliza1313]

My hens prefer the large flake shavings over hay. The prefer the ground over small flake shavings. I ran out of the large ones last year and had to buy the small ones. They pack down a lot, and I had a couple of my hens go to laying on the floor in protest. Luckily, they went back to nest laying once I was able to get some more large flake shavings. I think I've created monsters!

What does everyone feed their chickens? Do you buy a commercial mix or do you mix your own? I've been feeding Texas Naturals, but I'm thinking about changing. I've gotten several eggs that taste like fish over the last few months. Fishmeal is in the TN mix, so I'm assuming that the hen got into a heavy concentrated area of fishmeal. It's not something I enjoy eating for breakfast. Fish eggs.

I tried TX Nat when TSC didn't have our usual feed for several months. Never again. Our birds did not do well on it at all and we are still fixing the problems, by giving them vitamin and mineral supplements in addition to getting them back on our regular feed. For our chicks and keets we use the TSC Dumore 24% protein turkey/quail starter. If you don't have large fowl dual purpose birds like we do, and don't use your birds for any meat purposes or serious breeding, you could probably do a 20% protein chick feed without a problem. After they are about 4-5 months old they go on Purina Flock Raiser

I have all of mine on TX Nat. I have not noticed a problem with fish taste in the eggs. If you want to stick with a similar feed check out H & H feeds, still a TX based company with feeds that are soy-free and non-gmo. I did notice a problem with the shells getting weaker when I switched, had a couple of very thin to shell-less eggs. The hens were not used to eating oyster shell. Gave them a calcium supplement for a few weeks, then started offering oyster shell mixed with ground eggshells. Their shells have been fine since. I have been considering mixing the 2 feeds together, since H & H has some feeds with a vitamin and mineral supplement in it. It does cost a little bit more per pound, same cost as the TX Nat but a 40 lb bag instead of 50 lb. I did not particularly care for their chick starter as it was pretty much all powder, however this last batch of starter from TX Nat has a lot more powder to crumbles than the previous.

 

[Eliza1313]

I tried TX Nat when TSC didn't have our usual feed for several months. Never again. Our birds did not do well on it at all and we are still fixing the problems, by giving them vitamin and mineral supplements in addition to getting them back on our regular feed. For our chicks and keets we use the TSC Dumore 24% protein turkey/quail starter. If you don't have large fowl dual purpose birds like we do, and don't use your birds for any meat purposes or serious breeding, you could probably do a 20% protein chick feed without a problem. After they are about 4-5 months old they go on Purina Flock Raiser

What are/were the problems caused by the deficiencies in the feed? Signs and Symptoms?

I have a poult that isn't doing too well right now, originally thought it was an injury from another bird landing on him. Not certain now since I put him into sickbay, he initially appeared to rally but has since started getting worse. I don't think it is an illness or deficiency since he is the only one with any symptoms. Although I am sure each individual bird could be more prone to dietary deficiencies just as humans are.

I planned on doing blood draws and sending to a lab with a random sampling of the flock, considering being more thorough now and having full panels done on the whole flock. Just need to get all the correct supplies.

 

[henless]

I tried TX Nat when TSC didn't have our usual feed for several months. Never again. Our birds did not do well on it at all and we are still fixing the problems, by giving them vitamin and mineral supplements in addition to getting them back on our regular feed. For our chicks and keets we use the TSC Dumore 24% protein turkey/quail starter. If you don't have large fowl dual purpose birds like we do, and don't use your birds for any meat purposes or serious breeding, you could probably do a 20% protein chick feed without a problem. After they are about 4-5 months old they go on Purina Flock Raiser

You don't have a problem feeding them a feed with no animal protein in it? Why do you switch them to the Flock Raiser instead of leaving them on the Dumore? Is it because the Dumore is not medicated?

I plan on doing both, dual purpose and semi serious breeding. I have English Orps for the dual purpose, and have Crested Legbars coming in a month. I may end up switching to just one breed, but for now I'm going with these two and see how it goes.

I have all of mine on TX Nat. I have not noticed a problem with fish taste in the eggs. If you want to stick with a similar feed check out H & H feeds, still a TX based company with feeds that are soy-free and non-gmo. I did notice a problem with the shells getting weaker when I switched, had a couple of very thin to shell-less eggs. The hens were not used to eating oyster shell. Gave them a calcium supplement for a few weeks, then started offering oyster shell mixed with ground eggshells. Their shells have been fine since. I have been considering mixing the 2 feeds together, since H & H has some feeds with a vitamin and mineral supplement in it. It does cost a little bit more per pound, same cost as the TX Nat but a 40 lb bag instead of 50 lb. I did not particularly care for their chick starter as it was pretty much all powder, however this last batch of starter from TX Nat has a lot more powder to crumbles than the previous.

The closest H&H feed store is over 122 miles away. I really don't want to go with Coyote Creek, they don't have what I really want and the price is more than the TN.

I've also noticed that my chicks seem to be on the skinny side, at least to me. They look fine, but with all those feathers, it's easy to hide. When you pick them up, you can really feel their breast bone. I don't remember feeling that with my mixed layers.

Another reason I'm switching feeds is availability. I get my feed at a local feed store. They don't order much of the TN, and if your not there when it ships in, your out of luck till next week.

It seems like most of the chicken feed is all vegetarian, no animal protein at all. I picked up a sack of Purina Flock Raiser. I would have got the starter, but all they had was medicated, and I'll be feeding this to both the babies and layers. It seems my TSC doesn't carry the non medicated Purina starter, so I will have to decide if I want to feed the medicated, or get the Dumore non medicated from my legbars.

Who knew feeding chickens was so complicated?

 

[henless]

What are/were the problems caused by the deficiencies in the feed? Signs and Symptoms?

I have a poult that isn't doing too well right now, originally thought it was an injury from another bird landing on him. Not certain now since I put him into sickbay, he initially appeared to rally but has since started getting worse. I don't think it is an illness or deficiency since he is the only one with any symptoms. Although I am sure each individual bird could be more prone to dietary deficiencies just as humans are.

I planned on doing blood draws and sending to a lab with a random sampling of the flock, considering being more thorough now and having full panels done on the whole flock. Just need to get all the correct supplies.

What are her symptoms?