The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Matt1616]

Yes Matt that is right except the 12 toe part, that was on your feet not the chickens! I told you not to eat the chicken feed......Oh wait was that number on one foot or a total from both....

Steven, you're confused...it is people from Georgia that can only count to 12 because that is all the toes they have.

 

[sgribble]

Steven, you're confused...it is people from Georgia that can only count to 12 because that is all the they have.

But at least we can spell and all 12 are not on one foot like in Alabama.....Oh we better quit joking this is a serious thread.

 

[desertmarcy]

Just my 2 cents, but birds need animal or insect protein; but then, I feed my dog RAW, 'cause I believe an animal with 99% wolf genes probably ought to eat a lot like a wolf... If you can trust the *quality* of the animal protein in the brand of feed you use, then that's awesome. I don't want to research all the companies... and my local feed store is no help anyway, so I'm using that annoying Pearsons square... and my protein sources are Ferm'd or cooked beans, mealie worms, and my husband is constructing a BSF bin that hopefully will be all figured out for fall. I also feed them any meat leftover bits (if you don't eat meat, that's a bit tricky, but if you have a dog and feed RAW like we do, lots of bits about) we have. Local peeps drop by their crab carcasses, and we CL and freecycle grab fish carcasses and whatnot as well.
Good luck! Bet your birds look better than anyones around, no matter what!

It is a constant battle for me to find the perfect organic feed. I can't seem to find one I like that has animal protein. At least the one I use doesn't have soy. I mix fish meal in with some of the feed. And packrats, lots of those here. When I have the time and energy to trap them, I trap them live then kill them with a quick blow to the head and dice them up chicken bite size and they eat everything. They don't know what to do with a whole carcass

I've been processing a lot of chickens and the last batch I got to thinking, why am I composting the lungs and kidneys from these birds? Those are good edible organs. So instead of discarding them, I collected all the lungs and kidneys in a bowl as I was gutting the birds and cleaning livers, gizzards, and hearts for us,
cooked them and diced them up, mixed in with the turkey's feed. All devoured! It is too hot and dry here for BSF I think. I have to get creative to get animal protein into my birds and still stay organic and away from GMOs. Sorry, I know this is a HRIR thread. Will have to get some photos of mine and post them soon.

 

[sgribble]

Matt, I was having this problem also. I started making sure the flap was gone by using my fingernail to scrap it off. I still had the holes growing back. When I got the Reese 1/2 and 1/2s from you, I wanted to make absolutely sure I didn't get them mixed up with the others, so after a week, I toe punched the chicks again and made the hole bigger. They are about 3 months old now and the holes have not grown back and are nice big round holes. I did the same thing with some turkeys that I had different bloodlines of the same breed, wanted to make sure they didn't get confused and their toe holes look good. I think the key is to punch when they first come out of the incubator and redo within a week. At least that is my current theory

Marcy that is exactly how I do my toe punching and it does not hurt the chicks.I think a wing band would be more painful and harder to do.You do need to make sure and check the holes after about 10 - 14 days later. Toe punching is permanent and will not get lost or broken like a leg band.

 

[immyjay54]

But at least we can spell and all 12 are not on one foot like in Alabama.....Oh we better quit joking this is a serious thread.

Oh no, I must be on the wrong thread. I thought that joking went along with raising these birds. I can say that the few times that Matt and I have talked on the phone, there were always a few things for us to laugh about. I'm really glad to have some of you folks that I consider friends in the poultry world. Joking aside, keep up the good work with these wonderful birds.
Jim

 

[sgribble]

Oh no, I must be on the wrong thread. I thought that joking went along with raising these birds. I can say that the few times that Matt and I have talked on the phone, there were always a few things for us to laugh about. I'm really glad to have some of you folks that I consider friends in the poultry world. Joking aside, keep up the good work with these wonderful birds.
Jim

I thought so too Jim.
If we cant joke and kid I wouldn't want to be here.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I thought so too Jim.
If we cant joke and kid I wouldn't want to be here.

Me too, but I think Matt and Chris H ought to settle down a bit and pay a little more attention on how to bred these reds a little bit better so they will start taking some good birds and doing better at those shows they go to, huh? thought so. LOL I guess most on here saw last months Poultry Press huh they're (Matt's and Chris' birds) in there, glad to know some of my compadres(see I know espanole too) are doing right well along side some of the big timers in the poultry world.

Jeff

Sorry my typing skills suck, my brain (thinking) out runs my 2 index fingers and wore out eyeballs, LOL

 

[Chickens Naturally]

I couldn't upload with my browser for some reason. Wondered if I could get some feedback on these, they aren't mine, but very similar to some that I owned years ago.




It worked YaY

 

[bruceh]

I currently feed about 25 lb/day of FF (gmo free, soy free).

what's worse feed meat free full of Soy Bean Protein or FRM Game Bird Pellets with animal Protein.

My problem is I don't eat my chickens and I am trying to put type, egg production and a finish on them that will make a judge fall to his knees.

I don't want to make a mistake like a friend of mine who raised twenty five quail on chicken 15 % feed his quail could not fly off the ground they where so poorly feathered. He was to tight to feed them a good game bird feed. Need help.



19 years ago for future use need to store

Red Bantams are part of the old black and white standards and that is kind of my cut off periods for H chickens. They got invented about the 1930s so I think they will make it. bob

robert,
i have been fermenting my feed formula for over a year and a half. the ferment feed i swear by it. puts a shine on those birds like glass. i also top dress 1-2 times a week with either wheat germ oil or castor oil. the castor oil will brighten the combs and wattles. i have some hatchery barred rocks that are over 3 years old. i gave them pumpkin seed and castor oil. them old birds looked like they were p.o.l pullets.

 

[AletaG]

robert,
i have been fermenting my feed formula for over a year and a half. the ferment feed i swear by it. puts a shine on those birds like glass. i also top dress 1-2 times a week with either wheat germ oil or castor oil. the castor oil will brighten the combs and wattles. i have some hatchery barred rocks that are over 3 years old. i gave them pumpkin seed and castor oil. them old birds looked like they were p.o.l pullets.

Just an addendum to this conversation... I've tried the Ppkn and castor oil ... boy it does seem to 'put a shine on', and I'm told it's a good natural worming agent as well. Going to make that a monthly thing... Also did the math today. Calculated as dry feed, my adult birds eat 1oz per day per chicken out of the "free feed" feeder, and about half that (dry weight) in FF each day. Will probably go up as the weather gets worse? Or not... it is WA... we only get snow max of 2wks/year where we are. So really, I'm not going to worry too much about protein intake 'cause, well, who knows what they are eating, but not much of what I'm feeding . So basically we're snack and treat providers. I'm sure feed will increase during 'breeding' season, since they'll be caged more often than not... but so far, happy!