The yolks in my eggs are starting to get weak. They are still dark yellow but they are beginning to break easier when frying. Any idea what would cause this? The chickens are fed 1/2 laying pellets, 1/2 12% horse mix which is corn, oats and molasses pellets. I'm sure there are some other ingredients in the pellets also. They also get a bit of tankage a couple times of week to supplement for the bugs and insects they don't get being shut up.
A yolk question
Why the mix? If it is affordable straight laying pellets should be better. However I don't know what makes "strong" yolks, but perhaps the feed companies do.
I mix the 2 so I can buy less laying pellets which cost more. I have to buy the horse feed because I have 9 horses.
The layer is also formulated with the right amount of calcium...so at the least I would make sure they are offered some supplemental calcium...ground eggshells or something.
I can use the egg shells from the eggs we eat. Do I need to do anything other than dry and crush them?
No. Just keep them small enough that the birds don't recognise them as eggs.
Great. I'll get started on that tomorrow. Can I just crush them and feed them with their feed?
Yes, you can just sprinkle them in...or offer them separately. They seem to eat what they need.
Thanks so much for your help. I am making the best of things right now. Sure hoping to sell 5 of these horses this Spring. They were rescues. Then I can concentrate on my other animals. Also need to get the 2 pigs processed. Off to feed them now. Thanks again.
Cajun, the only time I wished I was younger is when it comes to horses. I just love them and wished I had the energy and time to care for them. They are such majestic animals and I love riding. I woud still ride if I just had something besides my quad to ride...Hay.
LOL Hay.. I feel the same way.. I had horses all my young life. Till I got kicked at work.. broke my arm bad..
About the feed and yolks? Do they get grass? Alfalfa would be good to nibble on too.. I was reading somewhere about the importance of just green grass... can't remember exactly.. but it was so important..
I think green grass is important for yolk colour and nutritional content.
We buy alfafa cubes for the horses. i could grind up a handful for the chickens everyday and add it to their feed.
I love horses too. Aways have. We didn't have any horses for 20 years and when we started with them again DH went a bit overboard. LOL We rescued 15 in all and rehomed some. 9 is still too many for me to keep up with and we don't have the setup for them here that we did at the old place. I am praying God will send people to buy them this Spring. I'd love to get down to 4. It would sure make life easier for us and for them.
I throw a flake every week or so in each pen for the chickens, and now that it is spring, I pull grass up by the roots and throw it in there.. The grass wont last in the summer so it does not bother me to pull it up... The chicks are on a layer of alfalfa and tomorrow I will pull some grass for them to try.
I was walking through the goat lot today and was amazed at how much browse is coming up.
The fiddle neck which is good for horses is starting to come up... It looks like we will have a good crop this year..
I have not heard of fiddle neck.
That is ideal MsJestr!! I even give my tiny babiez a clump of grass with the roots and dirt.. they love it and I know it's good for them.
I don't know what fiddle neck is either. LOL
But ZZ, fiddleneck is everywhere here! It is out right now, just starting to flower. I learned about it because it is a potential overwintering host for TSWV, a viral pathogen of tomatoes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddleneck
The only thing I don't understand is that I read that fiddleneck is dangerously toxic to horses....
http://www.localriding.com/fiddleneck.html
Thankfully, I have not seen anything like that around here.
I don't think it grows around here either - never seen it.
Hummm I let the horses and other animals eat it last year, with no problems and i know the cattle graze on it. I was reading from your link when I read this...
The seeds and foliage of fiddlenecks are poisonous to livestock, particularly cattle, because they contain alkaloids and high concentrations of nitrates.
These plants include fiddleneck, tarweed, yellow burr weed, fireweed and buckthorn, which are predominantly found in the semi-arid regions of Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California. The plants appear in late winter and early spring. The seeds are the most toxic parts of these plants and fortunately the mature plants are unpalatable to most horses.
Most instances of poisoning occur when mature amsinckia species are bailed in early cuttings of hay or when contaminated grain was threshed for horses. Some poisonings have occurred when horses were pastured on wheat stubble in contaminated fields.
Now I am wondering if I am calling it the wrong name...
This message was edited Mar 13, 2010 5:05 PM
That happens easy enough.
I did notice there are different varieties of fiddleneck.
I don't recognize it by the flowers pictured.. I'd have to see the foliage. I have an idea of what it is, but the pics always make things look better.. it's a little hard to recognize.
I will try tomorrow to get some in various stages of growth, but none are completely bloomed yet.