The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[docdandc]

Just wondering.

Do most of you RIR guys measure the feed for the birds or just free feed them? What time do you usually feed and how many times per day. I assume most feed just after sunrise, before they go to work, and then in the late afternoon before roosting time. Anybody using vitamins in the water, NopStress or the like? What has been working best.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Not a big believer in snakeoil additives in the water. Corid when the chicks hit the ground, but no sugar stuff, etc. Not opposed to Apple Cider Vinegar either, but I think some folks believe it to be just short of a miracle cure for everything, and I do not.

I'm old fashioned and feed the way my grandmother fed her birds in the 1890's. Carry the feed bucket. Yes, morning and afternoon. Of course, If I'm going to be gone for 24-48 hours, they get an adequate portion in advance, but otherwise, I carry the feed bucket twice a day. I actually enjoy this method because I actually enjoy looking at them, observing their growth and well being. Putting eyes on them 2 or 3 times a day is just my way of doing husbandry. Everyone is different, I suppose.

 

[RedRidge]

Just wondering.

Do most of you RIR guys measure the feed for the birds or just free feed them?  What time do you usually feed and how many times per day.  I assume most feed just after sunrise, before they go to work, and then in the late afternoon before roosting time.  Anybody using vitamins in the water, NopStress or the like?  What has been working best. 

I used to free feed dry grains. Now I feed fermented grains. Twice daily for chicks. Once a day for the older chickens. When they aren't free ranging (dec-feb) I feed full ration which is the equivalent of .25lb/day for my production birds and .33lbs/day for the HRIR and Rhodebars. I say equivalent because I feed by weight and my fermented grains weigh 2.25 times their weight when dry.
I do no ferment my premix/powder ingredients such as limestone, nutribalancer and fish meal, so I keep a ratio chart on the wall above my ferment buckets with the amount of premix to add each morning.
I feed BSF to the laying hens during the winter months when other animal protein isn't available, so this is calculated in for their winter ration. When they free range during the summer it is not necessary.
Hope that helps. I prefer to avoid pre bagged feeds for a variety of reasons I won't go into here, so I grind and mix my own feeds using a small hammermill. Primary grain ingredients are non-gmo corn, field peas and oats. Never soy, and always plenty of animal protein.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree. They look to be nice production type birds.

 

[immyjay54]

I put layer pellets in the feeders every day but usually only have to do it once a day because I put quite a bit in the feeder. I do give them a little scratch twice a day and they really do look forward to it. I do put a spoonful of sugar in the chick water the first day that they are in the brooder and from day 2 up until they go outside they don't get any water without the ACV in it. lol I remember my mom used to put Kayro syrup in the baby bottle with water for her babies and she had 12 do I think there might be something to the sugar. lol Like Fred, I like being with my birds. I work at home so I am with them all day long off and on. lol As for the ACV, that is the only thing that I have taken all my life for upset stomach, indigestion, headache etc. I take no precription meds at all and am 65. Vinegar fizz is the best. lol
Jim

 

[cmom]

Just wondering.

Do most of you RIR guys measure the feed for the birds or just free feed them? What time do you usually feed and how many times per day. I assume most feed just after sunrise, before they go to work, and then in the late afternoon before roosting time. Anybody using vitamins in the water, NopStress or the like? What has been working best.

Not a big believer in snakeoil additives in the water. Corid when the chicks hit the ground, but no sugar stuff, etc. Not opposed to Apple Cider Vinegar either, but I think some folks believe it to be just short of a miracle cure for everything, and I do not.

I'm old fashioned and feed the way my grandmother fed her birds in the 1890's. Carry the feed bucket. Yes, morning and afternoon. Of course, If I'm going to be gone for 24-48 hours, they get an adequate portion in advance, but otherwise, I carry the feed bucket twice a day. I actually enjoy this method because I actually enjoy looking at them, observing their growth and well being. Putting eyes on them 2 or 3 times a day is just my way of doing husbandry. Everyone is different, I suppose.

My birds always have feed available to them. Each of my coops has a 40# feeder. I agree. Instead of using corid, I use Sulmet which is more of a broad spectrum. The drugs on the market specifically made to treat cocci are Corid and Sulmet. Corid is a 9.5% Amprolium coccidiostat and Sulmet is a 12.5% solution of Sulfamethazine Sodium. Both are good drugs for curing cocci. I use Sulmet in the water 2 tablespoons per gallon of water for 3 to 5 days as their only source of drinking water if I see any signs.

 

[cmom]

Making long term plans is what keeps us young, I will never see 70 again, and I lurk here reading, and waiting until I can get more pens built so I can get some heritage RC RIRs !

I get a lot out of reading this thread, and thank Robert for it.

Are there other MI RIR breeders/fans here?

We are vintage. I do keep busy with the birds and gardening. We freeze or can most everything from our gardens. We try to be rather self sufficient. It's better than sitting on a couch and being a couch potato.

 

[RedRidge]

We are vintage. I do keep busy with the birds and gardening. We freeze or can most everything from our gardens. We try to be rather self sufficient. It's better than sitting on a couch and being a couch potato.

Our feelings exactly... I farm for a living... if we don't raise it or grow it we don't eat it... "we" meaning my family and my livestock.
I do buy nutribalancer for the chickens... and I do put ACV in their ferment about once a month.
I have never added anything to their water, added any sugar, feed any medicated feeds, or used Corid.
I've been blessed to never have an outbreak of cocci, although I've been worried about it this year with all the rain we've had so I do have some on hand since I have 60 chicks right now. Knock on wood I haven't needed it.

We freeze or cure all our meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and venison) and can or freezer our fruits and veggies (mostly canned - (I canned 450 quarts last year, I haven't counted this year).
Our milk is raw cow (A2/A2 only) and sheep... and of course cheese... lots of cheese.
The grains we don't raise ourselves are raised by friends and we swap.
I do buy salt for livestock... and coffee... hubby has to have in morning coffee.

We eat only Celtic grey sea salt (which has totally eliminated the need for BP meds), and I make kefir every 48 hrs which we drink daily. The kefir has eliminated the need for nexium for hubby which he took daily for more than 10 yrs. So... no meds for us anymore and at 50 we are healthier than we've ever been.
Everyone should be so blessed. I thank the Lord every day that we are. My youngest leaves for college next month and already has her stash of canned goods (especially her favorite tomato soup) and her bottles to make her kefir. Eating healthy for her will likely be a challenge... oh to be young again...

 

[melroseladi]

I start my chicks off with Poly-vi-sol (without iron) in their water for the first week. I do not use medicated feed. For feed chicks are given game bird starter and then up to game bird grower. All of my birds are given game bird grower for their feed once they come off the game bird starter. I have oyster shell available but rarely do I find any of my hens eating it.

My free-rangers have full feeders in their pens which are hung up out of reach when the pen doors are opened up to let them out and then put back down when the birds are heading back to their pens. If I don't hang the feeders up the goat and pig will empty them out. My cockerels that don't free range have free choice of feed and also get scratch, veggies, and treats. I toss 3-way scratch around the yard for everybody to munch on in the morning and evenings.

I have never had an issue with cocci so far.

Penny

 

[RedRidge]

I start my chicks off with Poly-vi-sol (without iron) in their water for the first week. I do not use medicated feed. For feed chicks are given game bird starter and then up to game bird grower. All of my birds are given game bird grower for their feed once they come off the game bird starter. I have oyster shell available but rarely do I find any of my hens eating it.

My free-rangers have full feeders in their pens which are hung up out of reach when the pen doors are opened up to let them out and then put back down when the birds are heading back to their pens. If I don't hang the feeders up the goat and pig will empty them out. My cockerels that don't free range have free choice of feed and also get scratch, veggies, and treats.  I toss 3-way scratch around the yard for everybody to munch on in the morning and evenings.

I have never had an issue with cocci so far.

Penny

Interesting idea about the pigs and goats. I don't have a problem with the sheep wanting the chicken feed, but one of my lgd's loves eggs! So... I have to make sure I collect eggs a couple of times during the day when I need to use that dog with the chickens. Kind of a pain but...