The Front Porch Swing

[LeslieDJoyce]

Ha, kind of like how "put feed and water in a bucket, stir, wait, feed it to your chickens" turned into more than one huge long thread ...

 

[sarahsunshine]

I mentioned on the other FF thread about raising mangle beets for fodder in place of some grains. Here's an article on it.
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS053E/FS053E.pdf

Is this for the same reasons that people plant winter/forage/daikon radishes?

 

[SonRise Silkies]

BEE said....Originally Posted by Beekissed


Work? I do nothing but look at the thermometer and turn the eggs X3 a day. That's it. You have to read about how it's all been streamlined now until there is really no work involved. And the materials didn't cost as much as a Hovabator.

I've read all about how fussy those incubators are....take out this plug, drip water onto the sponge on this day, lock down and don't open the hood, watch for humidity and temp spikes or dips and accommodate by adding this or that to the 'bator, etc.

Reading about all that is what prompted me to try a simple simulated broody hatch...and it's working

I'm just razzing you Bee, i think it is great and you are a genius. The goofy styrofoam incubators are waaay to expensive but they work....just out of price range for lots of folks.
A broody hen is great too but she is limited to her body mass size. YOU have got the best of both worlds, inexpensive and lots of room, I'm looking forward to reading every word.
Thanks for sharing your brain power with us!

 

[Blooie]

Is this for the same reasons that people plant winter/forage/daikon radishes?

Hmmm, I wonder. Anyone have a quick link to feeding beet pulp to chickens? Not as a full diet, but maybe as a supplement? We have sugar factory here, and I might be able to get my hands on some of the beet pulp.....lots of farmers and ranchers here haul it out by the truckload for their livestock. Oh, okay, Bee....I got the message before but I just forgot for a minute - I'll Google it myself instead of expecting everyone else to do the legwork.

EDITED: Found it. I'm so proud of me!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Hmmm, I wonder.  Anyone have a quick link to feeding beet pulp to chickens?  Not as a full diet, but maybe as a supplement?  We have sugar factory here, and I might be able to get my hands on some of the beet pulp.....lots of farmers and ranchers here haul it out by the truckload for their livestock.  Oh, okay, Bee....I got the message before but I just forgot for a minute - I'll Google it myself instead of expecting everyone else to do the legwork.  

From what I've read ... It is high in roughage and low in nutrients. That's good for some kinds of animals, but not others. Chicken need a higher nutrient/lower roughage diet than beet pulp.

 

[Blooie]

From what I've read ... It is high in roughage and low in nutrients. That's good for some kinds of animals, but not others. Chicken need a higher nutrient/lower roughage diet than beet pulp.

Too true, but it also does look like the extra calories can be helpful in the cold weather, as long as it's just used judiciously and their feed is still their primary source of nutrition. If I didn't have such a good, easy supply I might dismiss it totally, but as it is Kenny can bring me a little bucket from work to try. Need to do some more research though. And I read that it's high in calcium and low in potassium, so I would definitely wait until after they weren't on chick starter anymore. Sometimes I look at how big, how feathered, and how strong and healthy they are and totally forget that they are still chicks and extra calcium before they are old enough to lay is supposed to be hard on their kidneys. By that time the new campaign should be starting up, so the timing would be right. Factory is shut down right now because it's the end of the season.

You bring up very good points, and I have figured out that the soaked shredded would probably be better than the pellets. I was more curious than anything else, but after all I gone through with the Chicken Dumpling Gang I ain't about to do anything risky at this point!

 

[LindaB220]

Is this for the same reasons that people plant winter/forage/daikon radishes?

Yes, just a more nutritious beet I think. They could be the same in nutrition.

And I have one more article about feeding chickens with spent grain. (beer making). I've heard both pros and cons.

http://www.academia.edu/217084/The_Use_of_Spent_Grain_as_Animal_Feed_in_the_Neolithic#

 

[lovingmyhens]

Hey there! Can I squish between the two of you on the swing? I'm just not in the mood right now for a bucket. I'm tired. Seems there is dissention (did I spell that right??) in the state of Texas on BYC. It makes my heart hurt when others are hurt intentionally. This is supposed to be a place where you can just be...if you don't want to do anything but lurk, that is fine. If you want to ask questions, great! If you have the knowledge and want to answer these questions...fine as well. If you want to dream, well, then dream on. Just because you dream, doesn't make you a bad person. And if you don't like people dreaming or lurking or asking questions, then go on your way. That's what I think. Haters to the left....
I'm just going to grab me a cold glass of sweet tea and have me a bite of whatever that is on the table-looks good-and listen to some funny stories.
Melanie

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Okay, here is one I could use your communal advice about ... I put an ad on CL for duck eggs as I seem to be having a lot of those lately ... I got a reply from someone saying she is worried about health risks, and is there anything she should be asking me about the eggs as she doesn't want to harm her baby and this is the first time she's though about buying fresh eggs.

I feel a little ... underqualified! ... to even answer this question.

So far I just answered that some people are allergic to either chicken eggs or duck eggs but not the other type of egg; and everyone has personal opinions about farm-fresh foods ... some people prefer them, some people don't. and We are very happy to share our eggs with people who prefer to buy the farm fresh.

Do I need a lawyer and a new liability clause on my insurance?

 

[sarahsunshine]

Leslie, Blooie and Lindz - thanks for the info. I planned to look it up tonight when I got home, but you got there first. It was one of those speculation questions that I hadn't quite thought about researching yet!

Need to go pick up my 4yo after her nursery class... I'll stop by tomorrow!