The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[Leahs Mom]

OH...
Thought I'd say that if anyone is looking for avian probiotics, the only avian probiotic that I've been able to find that is not produced on a gmo substrate is AviCulture II. The website is not great, but the product is good.

http://www.avi-culture.com/page2.html

 

[speckledhen]

When my grandmother was alive, she loved buttermilk. Her favorite late evening snack was breaking up cornbread into a mug, and pouring buttermilk over it, then eating it with a spoon. Yes, buttermilk is soured milk, but that doesn't mean you can make it by setting a gallon of milk outside in the summer heat for a week, then drinking it. Yes, lots of people are stupid. There, I said it.

Truthfully, I'm feeling pretty good.

I missed your post somehow! Happy to hear both you and Lisa are doing well. Yes, I remember the buttermilk on cornbread, which I guess is a closed lacto-fermentation. Yes, lots of people are stupid, but what is really torquing me is when someone is told over and over again that this is the way to feed chickens now and they do it believing they are doing something beneficial for their flock, and start to lose birds right and left because whoever told them about it misled them terribly. They fell prey to the Religion of Fermented Feed. Time to leave the cult! And many have, after seeing what was the real truth of it.

There is a huge difference between yeast fermentation (which is what the ff proponents on byc are achieving) and lacto-fermentation (which is what the studies done with chickens showing benefit were reporting on).

Without special equipment, it would be extremely hard for someone with a large flock to achieve a TRULY lacto-ferment chicken feed.

I agree with you all and have much more to say. But I don't discuss ff on open forum. If anyone wants to discuss, pm.

Thank you, always appreciate a common sense, realistic point of view on all things. Yes, forum discussion can be problematic, though here in this isolated thread is less likely to cause a ruckus, but someone will start one if they happen to skim across it, I'm sure. If someone starts trouble on the new video, I may have to just disable comments.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@speckledhen
Have you used the Avia Charge 2000? Can you give us a review?

 

[speckledhen]

@speckledhen
Have you used the Avia Charge 2000? Can you give us a review?

Yes, I have used it, though it's been awhile. It is dark-colored, smells a tad fishy for lack of a better description. I mean, it's highly concentrated vitamins/minerals so I expect that. You put it in a gallon waterer, I forget how much, maybe a teaspoon or less, and it turns the water dark tea-colored, of course. My birds would drink it just fine after they got over the look of it. They seemed to like the taste okay. I had some that someone gave me in a ziplock bag so never had the full tub of it, and I meant to buy some, but never got around to it. I really ought to get a new tub of it.

Found it for sale for $21.95/8 oz tub. One scoop to a gallon waterer, it says. Here is a description:

Avia Charge-2000™ is an all natural water soluble powdered nutrient supplement scientifically formulated and developed to provide birds with 70+ naturally chelated trace minerals, 23 vitamins and antioxidants, 22 essential amino acids, health promoting probiotics, digestive enzymes, natural immune-stimulants and life essential metabolites. Avia Charge-2000™ has been used on every species of birds from the smallest (zebra finches) to the largest (ostriches). Prominent and Well Known Racing and Roller Pigeon Fanciers have been using it for many years.

https://innovatorsllc.net/products/bird-supplement-avia-charge-2000

 

[Leahs Mom]

I found the same link. Looks like it's primarily from sea weeds and some fish so ... no wonder it smelled fishy

 

[speckledhen]

I found the same link. Looks like it's primarily from sea weeds and some fish so ... no wonder it smelled fishy

Seems a no-brainer, doesn't it? The person who gave me the limited supply of it said she loved the smell. I didn't hate it, but I sure didn't love it.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have a feeling 90% of those claiming to ferment are just wetting the feed. It is weird how people want to push certain stuff onto others.

It cannot be denied that doing fermented feed of any sort from sauerkraut to silage to chicken feeds, that if done incorrectly you have have what is the equivalent to poison. We sometimes had moldy silage back on the farm, it had to be thrown out. Moldy silage killed my first bottle raised sheep. I'm not getting on that boat ever.

Now in the winter here I make up a warm mash with feed, oatmeal, and water to warm my birds up, which freezes pretty quickly, the feed not the chickens. After temperatures get above 20 I don't give any anymore. Though this year my numbers may prevent it, we will see how guilty I feel when we hit -20 degrees.

I'm healing up well after my surgery, though my insides still feel a bit tender so I continue to wear my binder for a bit longer.

I wish I didn't have my rabbits, they aren't my thing. They were adorable until they reached sexual maturity, but now they as moody and the males piss on me if I don't watch it while they are out. Not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I can't see keeping them long term. My husband is willing to eat them.

I am fighting the puppy demons, but I think I have convinced myself not to get one right now. My husband said I could have one for my upcoming 50th birthday, he should know better than to say that to me. Maybe next year.

I will get more shed pictures today. It's turning ungodly hot for the weekend, 90's with high humidity. I'm hiding in the house. It will be the hottest it's been here all year. Yuk!

So I read this whole thing and all I got was... Your getting a puppy!!! Then I realized you are not getting a puppy -

You need to get a puppy.

 

[1muttsfan]

As far as selling (or giving away) bunnies, tell them they need 2 - they are social critters and need company. And you will get rid of them faster

 

[speckledhen]

So I read this whole thing and all I got was... Your getting a puppy!!! Then I realized you are not getting a puppy -

You need to get a puppy.

Love that concentration! Yes, I think she should .Then I can live vicariously through her. DH is now using the cat as an excuse as to why it's bad to get a dog. He's afraid Finn will leave.

As far as selling (or giving away) bunnies, tell them they need 2 - they are social critters and need company. And you will get rid of them faster

Yes, good idea. It's how I try to rehome extra cockerels, say they need to grow them out further to truly pick the best. But, actually, it's true.

 

[1muttsfan]

Always nice to be both self-serving and truthful