Utah!

[Stands With A Fiddle]

Hey, who here has given weevily food storage wheat to their chickens? I have heard of people doing it, and today someone in my ward asked me if I wanted several hundred pounds. So I said yes, and my house mates are ecstatic to be able to feed the girls for free for a while. I was just wondering how well that typically works with spoiled chickens? I'm thinking that my girls will think the weevils are a nice condiment, but I do not know how well they will like the wheat.

 

[ElkMtnCove]

We got a bunch of old food storage one year and they loved the wheat. We tried soaking it but seemed they liked it either way so we didn't bother with the work. However, we didn't give them as much... in case it it swells once in their stomachs. (??). We soaked the veggies but passed on something that apparently was an "all around food" - could go meat or desert.

it didn't look appealing, can't remember the name.

I know heat affects egg laying but I live in a somewhat cooler climate so haven't experienced it. What I am getting for the first time in 5 yrs of chickens, is one leghorn hen laying soft shelled eggs?

She's just starting and her first week we got a great little egg every day, now this (two so far). I'm sure praying it's the heat and newness of it all! I feed Purnia layer with oyster shell mixed in and some free feed. Anyone with experience with this?

Nice score on the food storage! (oh, I think the weevils would be a bonus too, kinda like corn with worms, but I can't say for sure).

Hope everyone stays cool!

j.

 

[PacsMan]

Quote:
Ha...
My Black Australorp Midnight went broody again this weekend too. And in everyone's favorite box! (*sigh*)

It was last year about this time I bought a dozen eggs and hatched Lucky and Ducky, the Buff Orpingtons. (Lucky is still around, Ducky wasn't so lucky, but tasted good!)

 

[Stands With A Fiddle]

Good to know about the wheat. I figured if they liked it, I would put out the word that I take unwanted infested wheat. I've heard that the weevils are a common enough problem in food storage wheat. I figure the chickens will think it is a nice condiment.

 

[PacsMan]

Speaking of broody hens...

Anyone got any cheap fertile eggs?
Don't mind ~too~ much what breed, but would like purebred vs. mixed.

Just found 10 RIR's on eBay for $16 including shipping. Anyone have anything local?

 

[Stands With A Fiddle]

I sent you an email, Marty.

 

[PacsMan]

Quote:
Good find!

Last year I trolled SaltLakeFreeCycle, and Craigs list, and got about 20 free buckets of wheat etc. Some wevil, some clean. Chickens like it either way.

HOWEVER, I wouldn't feed straight wheat to your hens. At least long term. I'd mix it with other stuff. My theory is all of one grain only can't be good (long term)
Christie at Sunny Brook Farms has 3 grain mix for $10 for a 50lb bag, and also wheat "screenings" (cracked wheat with some hay etc. in there) for $7.50 a 50lb bag...

I bought some of the bags from Christie's source in Eagle Mountain. It was $1/bag cheaper, but making arrangements to pick it up wasn't worth it.

After the Trib article about arsenic in eggs a couple weeks ago, I did a lot of research, called the state health department, the state agricultural department, and IFA. Seems the health department didn't use real exact science, and the reporting in the Trib was pretty skewed for whatever reason. IFA doesn't use roxarsone, and arsenic was within naturally occurring levels in all grains. IFA does have some vitamins and minerals in their feed, and I figure they've been in the chicken business a lot longer than I have, so I will still use their product, but not extensively.

Here's what I use;

4 parts IFA Poultry laying Mash
3 parts 3-Grain mix from Christie-Sunny Brook farms
1 part straight wheat screenings or old food storage
1/2 part DE

I also have tuna cans with free choice of grit and oyster shell.

Rarely do I get a soft egg, and everyone seems happy and healthy...

 

[kimbobim]

Quote:
Me too, me too! I'm thinking I'm going to have to find some fertile eggs, too. She is being more persistant than before in trying to hatch something. Should I put an ad on KSL.com looking for fertile eggs?

thanks!

 

[ElkMtnCove]

Quote:
Good info, thank you! Your chickens are very lucky to hv you.

My neighbor feeds IFA feed and was loosing some chickens to egg-binding... she wasn't feeding grit.

However, my feedstore did hv a comment about IFA feed that could hv bn adding to my neighbor's loss (she's into chickens strictly for eggs, not a real chicken lover type...I've even caught her feeding moldy food to her chickens).

Anyhows, since IFA's feed is not a pellet, the feedstore said that the lighter feed can filter to the top and if someone feeds straight fm the bag their chickens may not be getting a consistent diet. I'm certain anyone on this board has figured this out on their own since we all care very much about what goes in their little beaks. But thought I would throw this out there for anyone new to chickens so no one has to learn the hard way. I can't stand to lose a bird for any reason.

The DE you feed -- are you the one that advertises in Murray on KSL? I've bn thinking about getting some. We don't get lice here and only fleas for a short season because it's just too dang cold most of the year. Any other benefits besides worms? Does anyone have worm issues? I haven't but that doesn't mean it can't happen I'm sure.

 

[Stands With A Fiddle]

My chickens also forrage in the compost. That's pretty funny. I call the compost bin the "deli" because at any time there are up to a dozen tails poking up out of there.