How many bags of feed do your chicks eat a day?
growing Chicken feed
counting all the chickens, [250] they eat 500 lb/week, 15% layer pellets, --the cow eats about 50 lb of sweet feed, and 2 or 3 bales of hay, the rabbits eat about 2 bags [100 lb] /week, [that will change as soon as I butcher next week], -I have stopped breeding Rabbits for the season, -it will be too hot for the PG does to survive soon, -- and my freezer and pantry are full, -- so I will be feeding about 1 bag /month to the breedstock, --till breeding time, about Nov, then the feed bill will pick up again, -
I got 111 egs last night, --
I hope you can get enough for your eggs to pay for the nice chicken house and the all the feed the chickens eat plus other incidentals that arise from raising chickens.
You must have a few rabbits to eat that much feed every week. My rabbits get 1/2 cup of feed per day until after they have babies then their food crock is never empty until weaning. After weaning it's back on 1/2 cup per day. I keep their weight down to cope with the heat. And yes, I know what the heat can to a PG doe as I have lost a couple over the years.
I used to butcher at 8 weeks for fryer size rabbits, but now I always let them go to 12 weeks. I like the meat to food conversion ratio that takes place between 8 and 12 weeks. It may be all in my head but they seem to have so much more meat on their bones at 12 weeks and when stewed the meat falls right off the bone and taste just as sweet.
I stew them with brown rice. I cut up the rabbit into 2 1/2 portions for the freezer. I boil the rabbit portion for 30 minutes in enough water to then add 1 1/2 cups of brown rice boil another 45 minutes. It is the only way I have eaten rabbit for the last 20 yrs.
Up to 20 rabbits a year takes care of me.
I find that if I brine the rabbits for a couple or 3 hrs in salt water ,before freezing, - the rabbit is as tender as any chicken, and not stringy at all, -- I also like my Rabbits a little older,/bigger, -- with the brining ,they are more tender than any 8 week old rabbit, -- I have 5 Does with litters, of 8 to 9 rabbits all about 6 to 10 weeks old, -- I have butchered almost 100 rabbits so far this season, -- all rabbits of mine also get 4 to 6 oz of feed depending on condition, -- fat rabbits die in the heat, --
I got 147 eggs last night and the market is still good, [so far] I also found the perfect disposal for He-Shu-Wu, -- an invasive plant species I would not suggest anyone plant in the south, --it will escape from a pot with ease, -- the chickens have devoured it with no aparent trouble, -- My cow will eat some of it, -- but does not like to much of it, -- but the Chickens can't seem to get enough.
Michaelp can you show a picture of the He-Shu-Wu plant we down here always want to know the plants to stay away from
Thanks you
Michael, If you got 147 eggs, for future reference where can I get He-Shu-Wu? I have 25 chicks I'm raising in hopes of making my first million $s selling eggs. You may be on to something here.
And then, of course, you might have a secondary market for He-Shu-Pooh! Oh dear, LOL! Treated to make sure all seeds or whatever are eliminated.
I want to head up THAT advertising campaign. LOL
TexasRock, you are a blessing.
Can I whine? I am particularly tired today. Maybe I need to take my herbs and start trying to think on "good things" and get on with it. I have so many things I need to be doing, but here I sit.
I overdid it yesterday so I am paying for it today.
I am allergic to the sun. The spring is such a dangerous time of year for me, because it's just so gorgeous outside! It will actually cut off the oxygen in my blood if I am in the sun, so I need to behave myself. ugh.
Wow. Bummer :( Sorry to hear that. I'd hate to have to stay inside in Spring. I live for it. I have MD and I tend to push too hard. It will ease up. One day I may have to give in to it but not today!
Yes, you go enjoy. I'm fine as long as I behave. MD is a bad one. No wonder you are having trouble. This world can be so cruel at times. How old are you cajun, if that isn't too rude to ask. I'm 54. Can hardly believe I am this old. How did that happen? Before long I'll be really old. Boy, do I have more respect for the elderly now.
It hurts getting old.. hurts like H___ I wish I could tote flower pots around like I used to.. not any more!
I am 50 years young, or I like to think I am. LOL I should still be in my prime but I am going down a bit. Hate to admit it but I won't give in. I figure the only way to lose is to quit. I still get stuff done, just slower and I have to work harder and smarter. Also have to ask for help which chaps my hide! Folks don't mind helping but I hate asking. I make good use of my hand truck (dolly) to move things. Especially sacks of grain but it works good for full buckets and bales of hay too. I'd love to have me a 4 wheeled wagon with a dump bed. Nice one at TSC but it carries a high price tag. What I really hope I can get before I die is a motor scooter. I could die happy if I was a "biker"!
I'm 53 and feel like 80 sometimes.. I've worked way to hard and had a few too many injuries and they are catching up with me quick. I sooo need a dolly. I have some wine barrel planters I have to move.. and a lot of rock and paving stones..
LOL Cajun I'm too far from town to get a scooter.. but I'd like one. :)
It would really help me to get up the hills to the barns with my buckets and hay. I'd have to make trips over the mountain but what's the downside in that? LOL They get about a trillion miles to a gallon and 55MPH is plenty fast enough for me. Easy to hold up too.
I couldn't make it without my hand truck. Ours was given to us by a friend but I don't think they are terribly expensive. You should get you one. I used mine to move all my papvers for my SFG beds and my strawberry bed.
You look great for 53 Z. Sometimes I think I look ok and sometimes I don't think so. The real bad part is when I look in the mirror and see my mother! yikes
Thank you LFJ :)
Cajun, I really do need to find a dolly... I know it would help sooooo much! I have so much to move down here that is just sitting up there at the old house.. they are gonna claim it if I don't bring it down soon!!
I learn so much on here. Yes, Zz go get your stuff, don't let somebody have it that won't appreciate it.
He -Shu-wu, --herb pict, --
nest boxs, --
I think I've seen it growing here too. Is it also called "Dragon Herb"?
Growing Chicken feed
And those are very efficient looking nest boxes - and really productive chickens!
Michael has it going on now. :)
Dude! That is so cool.. Just look at the eggs! Good goin.. so nice to see.. :)
I just got an idea from the Frugal Living Forum on rain barrels.. I don't need it to collect rain, but I don't have water at the chicken coops... I have to ask and drag out their hose, and it is a major pain.. (going in their yard, into the driveway, un roll all the hose, drag it through their yard) Anyway.. I'm gonna get a garbage can with a lid to store water over there! Then I won't have to cart it from home or bug those people all the time! I'm so tickled.. cause in the summer, it is so hot, that was gonna be a major problem.
I've seen some books on water I want to buy. Water is very interesting and absolutely vital.
The sight of all those eggs had my heart palpitating!! Do you ever have any crack from rolling out and up against another already there?
I have never see tne he-said-she-said herb before. It must not grow in the cold. Thank goodness. We have enough to deal with with the kudzu.
He Shu wu, -- is suposed to mean, -- Mr Wu has black hair, -- because his hair changed from gray to black when he was using the herb, -- [so the story goes] I planted the seed in a pot to see if it would grow here, -- it escaped and is covering about 500 sq feet -glad the chickens like it, -- it is sure prolific, --the cow was not impresed with it, --
I have had a few soft shell eggs get cracked, have more that get pecked from building up in the tray till the chickens can reach them [mostly one older chicken] loose about 5 or 6 /day to cracks and peck marks,[I boil and eat those] -- got 162 eggs last night, --
I get a pecked or cracked one every once in a while.
got 215 eggs, and only 3 were undersize, -- things are going well, ---
=D!
Wow!
Good deal.. I'm always anxious to read your updates!
Congratulations! You'll keep the Easter Bunny in business. I always look forward to your updates as well.
about egg size I talked about earlier in the home made brooder thread , I may have created a problem for market, -- by feeding the hens starter until they were a week or so from laying, to increase egg size[ by larger body size at onset of laying] I have had about a doz eggs /day already that won't fit into the market cartens, -- [over jumbo size] but my wife loves them, but not a doz/day] and they are just starting to all lay "normal" size eggs, -- I may have lots of eggs that will have to marketed somewhere else, --or trashed, --
From pullets???? That's wild! You could always recycle them by feeding them back to the chickens.. :) Funny how we always want big eggs, but I've found Serama eggs are awesome for cooking.. especially for "egg wash" where you only need a tiny bit to add to water. LOL