The Old Folks Home

[ozexpat]

That is an amazing difference between your place and Maine.

indeed

also amazing is the length of time from sunset to darkness. at our farm the sun goes down and 25 mins later its pitch black. Even in the peak of summer.

When I was in Paris, I could not believe it was still twilight at 10pm

 

[chickadoodles]

That is so sad!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...hrough-the-emotions-please/2570#post_12351376

Lots of support here.

Thanks Ron. I will check it out. I will get over it, It just might take a few days.

 

[chickadoodles]

Sorry to hear of the loss, Why not make a roo pen then start looking for replacement hens in the spring? My Pet chicken does small orders(3-7) and sexes even bantams.I'd send you my spare wellsummer if I could, she was an accident in my Privett order.

Thanks insanity, my dh said I cannot get any more birds but can keep the ones I have. But we will see.... lol

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronott1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arielle

Does that mean ducks need more than 20%?

Maybe not much more but animal protein for sure. If they can't get bugs, then calf mana is a more available and less expensive choice than fish meal.

A person with Ducks said his quit laying if they did not get enough and animal protein.


I periodically threw feeder goldfish into their pool for them to chase and catch, and every once in a while I treated the ducks to dry dog food. (Some of the ducks try to sneak into the house to eat the dog's kibble so I knew it would be a hit.)

Domestic Ducks, Dual purpose or layer, should lay nearly all year long--more than Leghorns. They really need animal protein and fairly high protein too.

Costco sells a Kirkland brand cat food that has Salmon and Fish meal in it.
So my muscovies should be laying now-- do they need light to lay too??

Fish meal is pricey in my chicken land.

For 50kg its Php 2600 - about $65

But its a staggering 70% protein.

I calculate any feed based on the cost for the protein. $ for bag/ # prot in the bag. Protein is the most costly food stuff. FIsh meal is a great buy at 70% $65 /( 50kg bag x 70%) = $0.84/#prot My whole corn is $3.75/# protein. ANd the fishmeal is a complete protein, corn is not.

Quote: After a day in school I never missed a day at the shore-- always something new to see as the tide was at different heights and the rough seas washed up cool things.

ANd the mud stinks!!

Quote: Wait and see how the next few months go . . . there will be plenty of eggs for hatching in the spring if you really want more chickens then. Ithink my allergies to chickens are getting worse myself---mmy meds are not working as well these days. An uncle always wore a mask in his later his later years when in the pigeon coop. He had the best racing pigeons around.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...

At 9.9o above the equater our days only vary by less than an hour between summer and winter.
Still, come September, its enough to send them into molt.

No daylight savings either. we just have early to bed, early to rise

You must be on one of the southern islands.

That's the same latitude as Costa Rica. It amazes me how fast it gets dark in the evening. The sun starts to set and BAM it's dark.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

indeed

also amazing is the length of time from sunset to darkness. at our farm the sun goes down and 25 mins later its pitch black. Even in the peak of summer.

When I was in Paris, I could not believe it was still twilight at 10pm

Wow, I just read this after my last post.

 

[ronott1]

So my muscovies should be laying now-- do they need light to lay too??

No, not Moscovies. Anconas and different Peking based Ducks lay up to 300 per year.

Silver Appleyards and Kahki Cambells.

I found this looking at Ducks. It is from 1984 Mother Earth News so is dated.



I bet they need lights in the winter but will check.

 

[ronott1]

This site has nice Duck information.

http://www.bigpictureagriculture.com/2012/03/six-duck-breeds-for-your-small-farm.html

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I need to put Campbell ducks on my Christmas list!! Very good info Ron. Even if old, it has far more detail than anything I have found.

I do like the muscovy because they are very quiet---I need to butcher a couple 1 yr old boys and see if I can do the job. The last time I cleaned waterfowl, it was a nightmare. lol

I have an allergy to "feathers" and I have often wondered what that really meant: ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys?? "Feathers" is very broad!!


graph duck ron

 

[chickadoodles]

Wait and see how the next few months go . . . there will be plenty of eggs for hatching in the spring if you really want more chickens then. Ithink my allergies to chickens are getting worse myself---mmy meds are not working as well these days. An uncle always wore a mask in his later his later years when in the pigeon coop. He had the best racing pigeons around.

I will. Thank you. You may just need a new allergy med we get immune to some after awhile. I hope you will find something that will work for allergies quickly.