Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again...

[Triplell]

Yes it does but with the cost of it now I stick with carrots. That is unless you already have the alfalfa then go for it.

Have you started with the Artic freeze yet? It should get here sometime tonite. BRRRRRR . They are talking -10F plus winds of up to 30 miles per hour and that makes for -30 for wind chill. I am thinking the ducks will stay inside and the geese too. That way I can keep the barn door closed .

 

[PAchickengirl]

They must be roosting on it then. You can go and get a cap like the ones you buy to keep the squirles from getting to the feed. It works, I have one that I put on for the new chicks to teach them that it isn't a roosting spot. Also if you hang it then it will swing and they don't like that either. Just some thoughts for ya.
Also by puting out the kitchen scraps should be a treat and not every day. Or put it out and let them eat what they can in 10 min then remove so they will eat the commercial feed other wise they may not be getting all the nutrients they need. Diversity is fine but only in moderation, I only put out some carrots to keep the yolks nice and orange. They get a small chunk everyother day, they attack it and its gone in about 10 min.

I don't do a lot of scraps, just veggies as long as they aren't too salty, and occassionally popcorn, the hot air popped kind. When I do give them extras, its never more than a cup or two, and its nearly gone as soon as it hits the ground, ha ha. (8 hens)

 

[Triplell]

I don't do a lot of scraps, just veggies as long as they aren't too salty, and occassionally popcorn, the hot air popped kind. When I do give them extras, its never more than a cup or two, and its nearly gone as soon as it hits the ground, ha ha. (8 hens)

Okay good. Sorry f it seemed like I was naging on ya. I have seen to many people feed their poultry mostly scraps and very little of the commercial feed. Or no commercial feed with just scratch and scraps, they usually wonder why they are getting very few eggs. It just burns my behind to see such ignorince. They are the ones I tend to have very long talk too in the feed stores. Don't know why but I alway's seen to pick them out. THe DH get upset sometimes but my exuse is I am teaching some one the fine art of taking care of chickens.

 

[Gargoyle]

Okay good. Sorry f it seemed like I was naging on ya. I have seen to many people feed their poultry mostly scraps

Clarification- when I say "scraps" I mean 90% green vegetables (romaine, kale, broccoli, 10% things like meat trimmings, cantaloupe, BOSS, pumpkin, persimmon, smashed egg shell, cooked rice, and once a week a bit of bread or pasta; in the summer they get dandelion, clover, and a few other "weeds" that they like. While commercial feed is supposed to provide 100% of their needs, I just have a hard time believing manufactured products really have 100% of all the nutrients and trace minerals and elements that chickens need. If that were the case, companies would also manufacture perfect nutrition pills for humans and we wouldn't need to use up so much of our time and energy preparing and eating diverse meals.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Ok, I know this thread is about cold weather but if you want nice orange yolks even in the winter try alfalfa it does wonders.

Do you use alfalfa cubes? Pellets? I tried to buy alfalfa hay from local farmers but was unable to get any..........

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Well....we also have horses, so I will just throw a flake in if its around or soak cubes in water (i dont like the cubes as well because wet feed freezes) But I agree it is expensive, ecspecially given the drought situation in our area. We are lucky because we are born and raised where we live so if a neighbor breaks a bale or something we generally get first dibs since they dont like to mess with picking it up It is also cheaper when you are buying in bulk.

I see you are from NY, are you around a lot of dairy operations?

 

[frostbite]

Quote: That's interesting, because I just read an article about using mealworms as a protein source for humans, instead of beef, pork, and chicken. The rationale was that mealworms emit less carbon dioxide per pound than the larger animals so they're better for the environment. The drawback they found was that it takes more energy to raise the mealworms, because the optimum temperature for rapid growth is 90 degrees fahrenheit. They were however remarkably excited and enthusiastic at the possibility, and were starting to brainstorm about how to convince people to eat them, and what forms they would have to take to be palatable. The researcher claimed that they taste good, "nutty" he said, and I thought, "Yeah, nutty is right!"

I don't think we'll see Mealwormburgers for human consumption on the market any time soon. (Although, based on what I see some people eating, a manufactured human feed might be more nutritious!) Farm animals do not seem to be so picky. My horse will eat anything I put in front of him. My chickens eat layer ration and seem quite happy. I give them veggie scraps, but at 20 below the scraps freeze pretty quickly; I would think they would be harder to eat than the crumbles and pellets. And they're laying eggs and acting happy, so I'm willing to trust Nutrena on this one.

 

[Triplell]

Clarification- when I say "scraps" I mean 90% green vegetables (romaine, kale, broccoli, 10% things like meat trimmings, cantaloupe, BOSS, pumpkin, persimmon, smashed egg shell, cooked rice, and once a week a bit of bread or pasta; in the summer they get dandelion, clover, and a few other "weeds" that they like. While commercial feed is supposed to provide 100% of their needs, I just have a hard time believing manufactured products really have 100% of all the nutrients and trace minerals and elements that chickens need. If that were the case, companies would also manufacture perfect nutrition pills for humans and we wouldn't need to use up so much of our time and energy preparing and eating diverse meals.

Wow!! I thought I was pampering my group but you just take the cake. It sounds like you are giving them a large diversity and if that is good for you and them, well You Go Gargoyle!!! With all the birds that I have I would spend more time in the kitchen making their treats instead of making us something to eat. In the Summer mine get to free range all day long and eat very little of the commercial feed. Mostly anytihng with moisture here would freeze in a heart beat. Right now its -20 F with out the windchill. BRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

Well....we also have horses, so I will just throw a flake in if its around or soak cubes in water (i dont like the cubes as well because wet feed freezes) But I agree it is expensive, ecspecially given the drought situation in our area. We are lucky because we are born and raised where we live so if a neighbor breaks a bale or something we generally get first dibs since they dont like to mess with picking it up It is also cheaper when you are buying in bulk.

I see you are from NY, are you around a lot of dairy operations?

There used to be many farms here east of Albany. Most no longer have dairy cattle. A few still keep some beef cows. The pastures and hay fields are growing up. I purchase my hay from an old dairy farmer that still hays. Because of the drought this summer, I may run out of hay before the spring grass appears and have been contemplating supplementing with another roughage source. I have used wet beet pulp, but that is fed with the grain otherwise the horses don't eat it.

Do you have to soak alfalfa cubes in water?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

There used to be many farms here east of Albany. Most no longer have dairy cattle. A few still keep some beef cows. The pastures and hay fields are growing up. I purchase my hay from an old dairy farmer that still hays. Because of the drought this summer, I may run out of hay before the spring grass appears and have been contemplating supplementing with another roughage source. I have used wet beet pulp, but that is fed with the grain otherwise the horses don't eat it.

Do you have to soak alfalfa cubes in water?

We dont for the horses but for the chickens I do. I dont know if it is neccessary but the cubes seem so hard that I did so they broke down for the most part. An added plus you get the earthy fresh cut smell in the dead of winter hehe However as I mentioned before it then freezes when its really cold.