The Old Folks Home

[Arielle]

Cynthia as I remember the ingredients in Vet Rx did not inspire me to purchase it at the feed store. Sorry Ic an't remember the details now as it's been some time. IT was a fancy name and lots of m oney for products most likely you already have. I read the label and didn't buy it.

 

[tnspursfan09]

Such smart girls!!


I love that chickens will eat almost anything, so I don't have to eat my kids left overs anymore, as I hate waste. The extras are good healthy food around here. I toss all bones to the chickens and they pick them clean, then the bones decompose in the large fenced coop.

SCG--people often have different priorities, kids can be very distracting from everything else, just keep trying to help her see what needs doing.

I like to involve Maddy in the things that I do, I want her to grow up knowing where her food comes from, how to tell which plants are weeds and which are flowers or veggies...and not spend all her time playing video games or on the computer. She already knows how to access her movies on the dvr, and how to turn on the computer and open her games; but she also knows how to plant seeds, or pick herbs and is learning the names of all of the herbs, too. She likes to walk around chewing on an oregano stem. We're thinking about getting a piglet this spring. Mmmmmmm...bacon.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I tell my kids that they need to live a healthy life because they could live to 100, as it is in the genes. I figure those in the family that made it to the age of 90 or more grew up in a time of no candy, no commercial bread, no soda as they were too poor for that. My grandfather was never idle, always something needed repair or fixing or doing. Only time I saw him sittingwas to read National Geographoic and Popular MEchanics and the news. If we eat the right foods and play, we can have healthier lives. ANd still play the video games. lol

 

[ozexpat]

Has anyone tried this? I have Denagard on hand, love the stuff. I use it a cautionary dosage twice a year. But this stuff is a lot cheaper. Came in an ad in my e-mail today. http://meyerhatchery.com/productinf...grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'VRX'&aid=119

Denaguard is an antibiotic wheras Vetracyn is a "snake oil" all purpose fix everything. I am sceptical. A good diet will do the same.

I would not even use Denagard unless the birds had symptoms. No good comes from prophylactic antibiotic use. All it does is create resistance. And its very expensive

The antibiotic question came up yesterday in the socal thread, This was my reply

I also buy vaccines there. I vaccinate for Newcastle Disease and Fowl Pox.

Orders over $60 have free shipping.

 

[ozexpat]

I like to involve Maddy in the things that I do, I want her to grow up knowing where her food comes from, how to tell which plants are weeds and which are flowers or veggies...and not spend all her time playing video games or on the computer. She already knows how to access her movies on the dvr, and how to turn on the computer and open her games; but she also knows how to plant seeds, or pick herbs and is learning the names of all of the herbs, too. She likes to walk around chewing on an oregano stem. We're thinking about getting a piglet this spring. Mmmmmmm...bacon.

I bought 3 little pigs just yesterday! My 2 year old is mastering his Android tablet but loves animals and the outdoors. Butterflys landing on him freak him though. lol

 

[Arielle]

Cynthia, forgot to mention, the old time poultry breeders only use an ax. IF it is sick, it goes bye-bye.

 

[Highcotton]

Quote:
Mine get about the same things and they are excited to see one of us coming because we always make sure we have some goodies. I don't know of anything free unless they have the capability to grow something. I haven't bought wheat but I buy oats and they are more expensive than layer pellets by the 50 lb bag. Most anything else I can think of will cost as much or more.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: You bring up a very good point. Having had to formulate a few feed mixes for ag classes . . . . the whole grains are the most expensive. THe by products of other processing is cheaper. Like Brewers grains. Or whey. THe items with the high proteins are more expensive than lower protein.

I often calculate the value of the feed by the cost of the protein.

I buy directly from the mill, and the owner of the mill does my deliveries, so we often chat about prices. Overall my prices have almost doubled in just a few years, maybe 4. from $7.75 a bag to $13.50 ish.

Fields pulled for grwoing for the ethanol, or corn shipped overseas.

As long as the birds will eat the commercial pellets, I"m fine with what ever they put in to it. ANd supplement with meat scraps on butcher day, old eggs, etc.

A bag of commercial pellets is well worth the money if time and money are important, and convenience, too.

I don't use pestacides or herbacides on my lawns so the birds and horses and sheep can munch safely.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Cynthia, forgot to mention, the old time poultry breeders only use an ax. IF it is sick, it goes bye-bye.

I don't have pet chickens. I can understand one trying to save a beloved pet.
If one breeds poultry, saving snifflers, sneezers, wimpy, pale headed, non-robust or otherwise weak birds will perpetuate weak birds in the flock.

Culling sick birds will help develop resistant stock.

 

[gryeyes]

I am reminded of the dismissive "Oh, that's chicken feed!" reference to or about something inexpensive. When one has a huge flock, a breeding program, or want "only the best" food for one's birds, feed costs CAN be expensive, but if *I* could feed myself all the time for less than 25 bucks per fifty pounds of food, I would be ecstatic. $19.00 a bag (give or take) is...well.... Chicken feed. I prefer pellets because there is less scatter waste, and I also spring for BOSS because daily hand-feeding treats makes ME happy. Dog and cat food costs more than chicken feed and those critters don't lay eggs for me. Yes, I do understand life circumstances can change; I've been short funds a few times when the flock needs feed so I have to make do with alternate food stuffs. But to try to avoid buying chicken feed as a regular practice? SCG's neighbor would make me wanna smack her and steal her chickens.