Winter supplementation- Does anyone use KELP?

[NC chicken man]

I use kelp all the time find a Fertrell dealer go to their web site www.fertrell.com I have all my feed gound and put at least 50 lbs pre ton and top dress some of my feed with kelp I paid $38.50 / 50 lb bag .Iget all my supplements from my fertrell dealer.

 

[ORChick]

Not everyone is in close proximity to a beach, but for those who are:

http://www.lionsgrip.com/intro.html

MINERALS

Dried kelp fronds (the leafy parts, not the stalks, which are too hard to chop up and don't get eaten) are kept in their coop on a sturdy clip. They can free-choose it, letting them adjust their salt and mineral intake. There are nearly 100 minerals on Earth. Only sea water and sea life has them in the ratios that animals need. All blood of animals contains these minerals, in the same proportions as in sea water! Scientists have barely scratched the surface of understanding all the things that these minerals do in living bodies. For optimum health, it's best to get all of them.

Just gather a mess of kelp off any beach that is more than 50 miles from a city, sling it into a garbage bag and take it home. At home, set it out in the yard, and in a very short while, it will be dry and crisp. Take the flakey parts, and clip them about a foot off the ground where your chickens frequently go --- those document clips with a black "hinge" and two folding silver "arms" work best.

 

[ml]

I give some kelp to my horses and is a great price plus shipping is very reasonable.

http://www.herbnhorse.com/

great place to shop for herbs by the pound.

ML

 

[SisterFlash]

herbalcom.com is also good. sell by he pound and all shipments are about 5 dollars

http://www.herbalcom.com/store.php3...lI-L&session=24138d2059e4cd4b91bebe212261e57e

Kelp granules

Laminaria species Iceland 1 pound $2.40

Kelp powder

Laminaria species Iceland 1 pound $2.70


I buy lots of herbs from them for my horses.

 

[halo]

I found this website...

http://www.noamkelp.com/products.html

which has a lot of information.

 

[w8tn4fresheggs]

Thanks everyone, great information and links. Sounds like it can't hurt to give it to the girls. I just need to find the right price. Thanks again, Steph

 

[Brenm77]

Hi,

I went to my local feed store and asked about Kelp. They knew what it was and said that people usually use it for horses. He didn't have any on hand, but said he could order it.

It only came in a 50 pound bag and would cost $70.00. Pretty pricey. I also asked him to price flax seed. Again 50 pound bag for $30.00

I have decided, since I haven't gotten much of a response here is to talk to the family from church again. Find out more details and where they get their supply also.

I am still considering it as an option for just the winter. I only have 9 hens and I think it would last quite awhile.

Steph

I have used kelp for over 30 years; will not raise anything without it (plant or animal!!). Yes it is pricey at $70 a bag- but a bag lasts a long time. At only 2% of feed ration, and 1T per planting hole; I use about 3 bags a year on a 40 acre farm. Cows get one section of their mineral feeder free choice, sheep get it mixed with their mineral, and chickens have a free choice container.
I read about kelp in 1989 and did a little experimenting with it. Grew identical varieties, only difference being kelp. Rows with kelp had larger plants, more flowers and produce kept longer in the fridge once picked.
I mixed both kelp and DE into the pigs grain at 2% of their ration by weight. Had to do some talking and show literature to the mill to prove I wasnt putting anything into their mill that would make someone elses animals sick! I would weigh out the DE and the Kelp and have them dump it into a 1000 pound batch.
The state inspector at slaughter came over and was asking me what I did. Scared me to death! I asked him if they were ok. He said better than ok- healthiest looking pigs he had seen in a long time!!
Moral of the story is- Just do it! You wont regret it!