The Old Folks Home

[chickadoodles]

Maybe this will make you feel better... leghorn 6 weeks (both girls, and dirty passed out)



Pic of a roo about the same age

Oh my I guess I got to used to the buff orps. Sorry. Your birds are very cute.

 

[chickwhispers]

Great Pics!!! All so cute!

 

[tntchix]

Location/climate IMO is one of the most important factors in management.

You're probably ok where you live but around here I quit using metal because it sweats in the hot humid summer and molds the feed.

I use these. They each hold about 90 pounds of feed are stackable and still allow access to the feed and I've never had a rodent problem. I have mine 3 high and I tape the feed label on the side so I know what's where.



If only I had enough chickens to buy by the ton.

The following are all by the bag, not bulk.
That's a good price on fishmeal. 60% Menhaden costs me $50+ for 50#
I can get 50% pork meat and bone meal for $23
Oyster shell is $10
Bran, wheat and millet are $13
Soy meal is $17.25
Oats and barley are $20
Maple peas are $30
Flax is $33

16% layer pellets are $11, 17% breeder/layer is $11.50
16% organic grower is $23

The coop fairy is a feed wholesaler so that helps a lot.

With those prices it would cost me way more to make my own feed.

I can get vitamins and minerals but I'm not sure which to get if I were to make my own.
The minerals and some of the vitamins are straights. 50# of a single vitamin or mineral for example.
There are some mixes for swine or dairy that I suppose I could use.




One of my biggest costs this year has been electricity. The summer (when AC is the biggest user) was milder this year than last. But my electric usage was 32% higher than last year. A big incubator, hatcher and several ceramic heat emitters running 24/7 is a killer. God bless broody hens.

cc where ever do you find these bins? my coop storage is getting smaller and smaller but i do have 8' ceilings so I can stack all the way up.

 

[Peep_Show]

Buying a jar of Nutella for mousetraps = empty jar and spoon + not baited trap

I'd be waving to the mice with a big ol' chocolate-like grin. Neener!



SGC:
Thank you for the pics. I've never seen birds sleep like that before or, really, observed them sleeping ever, so was glad you mentioned they were snoozing.


Speaking of feathers:
Something ate something in the orchard. All that was left was a carcass of a long-bodied breastplate, ribcage and very long and strong wing bones along with what looked to be a scattering of white or very light gray wing feathers with HUGE quills on them. Goose? Turkey? Looks like it was half-eaten somewhere and finished here. DH got the shovel duty. Hope it wasn't some neighbor's holiday dinner....

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
They have them at Home Depot and Lowes..... Ace Hardware may carry them as well.

deb

 

[tntchix]

They have them at Home Depot and Lowes..... Ace Hardware may carry them as well.

deb

Huh. I've never seen them there. Of course, I do not buy totes there.

Thanks though.

 

[ozexpat]

If only I had enough chickens to buy by the ton.

The following are all by the bag, not bulk.
That's a good price on fishmeal. 60% Menhaden costs me $50+ for 50#
I can get 50% pork meat and bone meal for $23
Oyster shell is $10
Bran, wheat and millet are $13
Soy meal is $17.25
Oats and barley are $20
Maple peas are $30
Flax is $33

16% layer pellets are $11, 17% breeder/layer is $11.50
16% organic grower is $23

The coop fairy is a feed wholesaler so that helps a lot.

With those prices it would cost me way more to make my own feed.

I can get vitamins and minerals but I'm not sure which to get if I were to make my own.
The minerals and some of the vitamins are straights. 50# of a single vitamin or mineral for example.
There are some mixes for swine or dairy that I suppose I could use.




One of my biggest costs this year has been electricity. The summer (when AC is the biggest user) was milder this year than last. But my electric usage was 32% higher than last year. A big incubator, hatcher and several ceramic heat emitters running 24/7 is a killer. God bless broody hens.

Electricity is significant for us as well.

We pay around 25cents a KW.

Chickens add around 30-40 bucks a month between heating and dehumidifying

Thank God I dont have to keep brooders warm over winters. One week 24/7 then 10 days just at night.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Amazon has em too they are called Hopper bins

deb

 

[tntchix]

Woah pricey. Gonna have to add these to my wish list.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

SGC:
Thank you for the pics. I've never seen birds sleep like that before or, really, observed them sleeping ever, so was glad you mentioned they were snoozing.

Seems to me that each chicken has a unique sleeping position, a lot like humans. Those two leghorns were the only ones that did the head hang; I have a couple that do the tuck move with their head, some that refuse to sleep on a roost and sleep on the poop board cuddled up, others that sleep head up.

Myself... I prefer to sleep on my right side, arms and legs stretched out at 90 degree angles from my body, leaving BF with approximately 2 feet of the bed to himself. If I get laying on the wrong side (my left side) I will roll to my right side, and stretch everything out. BF has been punched and kicked many times. Almost took his eye out last night.