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Feeds
Aug 31, 2012 17:39:44 GMT -5
Post by d12chandler on Aug 31, 2012 17:39:44 GMT -5
My feed went up $1.50 a 50 lb bag, I bet this gets alot higher.
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Feeds
Aug 31, 2012 18:07:00 GMT -5
Post by Jon Alden on Aug 31, 2012 18:07:00 GMT -5
I was talking to a grain farmer the other day, she said that one of her friends is already starting to harvest. They started by getting 6 bushels an acre of corn, but now their up to 12 an acre!!! Sad thing to see when the yield last year was around 200 an acre.
Feed has doubled since I started with poultry in the spring of 08.
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Feeds
Sept 5, 2012 19:01:51 GMT -5
Post by pinegrov on Sept 5, 2012 19:01:51 GMT -5
My feed went up $1.50 per 50 lb. bag too. I think we all need to get better at culling. No sense in feeding the bad ones.
Vern
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Feeds
Sept 5, 2012 20:53:26 GMT -5
Post by harrys on Sept 5, 2012 20:53:26 GMT -5
Perhaps someone with years of experience could write an article on what to look for in the news bulletin. I know I culled as soon as I can see light eyes on the blacks and blues. I cull all with light feet or light stripes on their toes for the blacks, blues and lavenders. Size is also another thing I cull for. Any defects that are obvious also get culled. I was told not too be real concerned on a white with dark legs/feet if the bird is of quality.
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Feeds
Sept 6, 2012 18:11:47 GMT -5
Post by korfuskluckers on Sept 6, 2012 18:11:47 GMT -5
Harry, that is a great idea. I just wish a few people would volunteer. It is hard sometimes finding articles for the newsletter.
I started to feed whole grains, my feed contains hard red wheat, soft white wheat, oats, peas, lysine\selinium\zinc, also some baled alfalfa chopped up. This farmer was also able to get me some bone meal. I will be binding it with oil or red cell. I am going to experiment for a while. It ends up running 12.00 for a 50# bag and I get to support a local farmer! Times are tough around here lately and I will be culling harder than I ever have before.
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Feeds
Sept 6, 2012 19:39:26 GMT -5
Post by harrys on Sept 6, 2012 19:39:26 GMT -5
Christina, That price is great because I pay just about that for simple scratch and Purina went out of wack but I need it. I already culled about 200 birds so far this year. No one got any of the culls because I do not believe in giving a breeder something I would not use myself.
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Feeds
Sept 6, 2012 19:47:08 GMT -5
Post by bamachicken on Sept 6, 2012 19:47:08 GMT -5
I only hatched a lower than twenty number this year and have culled down to four. I have two hen hatched chicks that just had run of the yard till a month ago. Both are black and I am waiting another month to see if they are keepers. I have got to get started hatching few but the price of feed is riduculous. I am going to hatch some of a Choc male that is split to LF and breed him to a LF black girl. Will only keep the largest chicksl
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aveca
Full Member
Posts: 137
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Feeds
Sept 10, 2012 7:15:24 GMT -5
Post by aveca on Sept 10, 2012 7:15:24 GMT -5
Perhaps someone with years of experience could write an article on what to look for in the news bulletin. I know I culled as soon as I can see light eyes on the blacks and blues. I cull all with light feet or light stripes on their toes for the blacks, blues and lavenders. Size is also another thing I cull for. Any defects that are obvious also get culled. I was told not too be real concerned on a white with dark legs/feet if the bird is of quality. Harry, I think you would be the guy with a lot of experience..maybe you could write some articles..it would be very helpful to see pictures also of light stripes on toes or legs..I still have a lot of questions about a lot of things..i could show a few pictures and ask Why is this happening, or is this anything to worry about.. a lot of people working by themselves have questions..I have a good friend, poultry judge, but he's gone judging all of the time..stops by when he can, occasionally brings me a bird or 2.. but the questions always crop up when no one around..I just ran across an issue, not sure how to deal with it..
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jeremy
New Member
CA Royal Blues
Posts: 24
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Feeds
Sept 10, 2012 23:32:20 GMT -5
Post by jeremy on Sept 10, 2012 23:32:20 GMT -5
Can I ask why some only feed Chick Starter?
In the past I have fed Chick Starter until my birds begin to lay, with my Orps it has been typically until 7 to 8 months of age, then I switch over to Flock Raiser, which I think is 20% protein. Both are Purina.
In the summer months I feed them scratch as a supplement, it's mostly cracked corn, some milo and millet and sunflower seeds. When my birds start to molt and then into the wintertime I cut the scratch from their diet and feed wild bird seed, it's only milo and millet and sunflower seeds.
I also feed them anything that we don't eat from the garden. Anything that is bruised or munched on by bugs, they also get any of the weeds that we pull from the gardens or the front yard. When we mow or when our neighbors mow (I live in a very urban area) they get the lawn clippings from yards that aren't sprayed with chemicals.
I've considered buying bales of alfalfa to feed to them, especially in the winter months when there are consistently less greens available, but that's just another cost...
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Feeds
Sept 11, 2012 13:14:47 GMT -5
Post by d12chandler on Sept 11, 2012 13:14:47 GMT -5
This baby chick feed full time is new to me. Terry Britt told me that baby chick feed is all he ever fed. If you ever seen his birds, be a orp or rock, they were huge. I have alway fed baby chick starter and then switched to gamebird breeder. Both are 18% protein. The gamebird breeder cost like $3 a bag more. Why? So I'm going to try it this year. Jeremy, it might just as easy to feed a little rabbit pellets, thats about 90% alfalfa hay. I have seem those Old English guys out in east TN feed some rabbit pellets mixed in there feed. Those guys can get a bird to shine like a new silver dollar.
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aveca
Full Member
Posts: 137
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Feeds
Sept 11, 2012 15:51:28 GMT -5
Post by aveca on Sept 11, 2012 15:51:28 GMT -5
I was going to ask you guys why you couldnt just use a rabbit pellet or horse alfalfa pellet..you answered my question..baby chick feed is a new one on me too..i was litterally going to use an old food dehydrator and collect up a bunch of plants like chickweed and some of the other stuff they like and dry it, crunch it itno a big jar..but lord knows i dont have that much time..probably nobody does..
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Feeds
Sept 11, 2012 18:20:20 GMT -5
Post by d12chandler on Sept 11, 2012 18:20:20 GMT -5
Our alfalfa pellets here are to big for chickens, you would have to roll or something so they could eat it. I guess you could wet it. We can buy alfalfa leaf meal, it's very fine and they would waste alot. Also wetting it would work. In raising baby chicks I always keep my feeders full. Every morning I have those small rubber pans, I wet baby chick feed with water and give them. They love it. We used to have a cheese plant here and we could get all the whay you wanted. I used it back then. I also soaked oats in whay, they loved it.
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aveca
Full Member
Posts: 137
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Feeds
Sept 11, 2012 19:26:25 GMT -5
Post by aveca on Sept 11, 2012 19:26:25 GMT -5
I think we have several different kinds of alfalfa pellets and cubes at the local tsc and agway...soaking would be a great idea..i love it that you could get the whey for the birds..boy i wish things were like the good old days..we are luckey to live inbetween several mills..owego has one, elmira has one and monroeton pa..i use pastor romigs choice of grower pellets from shaffers feed mill.., it has a little something green in it..might be alfalfa, not sure..he and faulkners were feeding it..it seems to keep a nice weight on them ..their birds always looked so good..i had been kind of mixing it with layena for the hens..love hearing how you could get things like the whey..we have a giant cheese plant here , but honestly it looks like a fortress, i wouldnt even know how to get in the place..
I hope things perk back up out Christinas way..hate to hear she had to cut way down..
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Feeds
Sept 13, 2012 10:47:21 GMT -5
Post by d12chandler on Sept 13, 2012 10:47:21 GMT -5
Today was buy feed day. $15.83 for a 50 lb bag. It started out 15 and went to $16.50 to $16.11 and now $15.83. I just don't understand the up and down.
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Feeds
Sept 13, 2012 11:27:06 GMT -5
Post by Jon Alden on Sept 13, 2012 11:27:06 GMT -5
Today was buy feed day. $15.83 for a 50 lb bag. It started out 15 and went to $16.50 to $16.11 and now $15.83. I just don't understand the up and down. Yea it doesnt make sense, I was lucky enough to find a place that has cheap feed of good quality. Only $10.60 a bag. Farmers are starting to harvest, which might be what is pushing it down a little.
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