Okay, I went to our local farm supply store the other day, and was going to get a bag of SG. I was looking at the main ingredients, and the first one was cracked corn...then it was wheat and oats. I am feeding my birds half and half of layer formula, and cracked corn that we already had in the barn. My FIL had ground a bunch of his own corn (he farms corn and soybeans) for the cattle, and apparently did too much. So all this good cracked corn was sitting in the grainery room. Since I'm already feeding cracked corn in their diet, I hate to buy a bag of SG that has it as a main ingredient.
The bag I had before, I got from Tractor Supply. I don't remember if corn was the main ingredient (probably was though) but it also had these little red seeds....can't remember the name for the life of me. I do know the chickens went crazy for it though :) So, what do you guys use/reccomend for scratch grains? I'd love to hear your suggestions.
Dawn
Scratch Grains question
I can't remember the name of that little round red seed in the 3 grain scratch either. I went to the feed store and they told me what it was. I got a separate bag of it and the chickens didn't really care for it. I don't know why- they love it in their scratch. I know someone that got a cement mixer to mix her feed. It was very cool! Sometimes we spiff up our chick feed with the goats' sweet feed.
Here, everything must be caged or would get eaten. If it isn't a gator, it's a bear. I supplement my chicks with banana leaves for their "greens". I was told that chicks that can forage weeds have richer eggs.
Could that red seed be millet? Just guessing!
BTW...my chicks absolutely love spicy leftovers!
Cyber-millet does sound familiar...maybe it is? You know, I heard birds like spicy foods; when I had my cockatiel I was reading somewhere that they love to eat spicy things in the wild. And yes, anytime a chicken can forage, I'm sure they are making healthier eggs! Isn't that neat :)
our SG here hs those plus milo, which is common for lots of livestock. my hens picked it out & left the rest, so i just buy milo, & now and then some layer pellets or crumbles. for a high protein treat besides bugs & greens, try some non-medicated chick starter or turkey starter. i found parakeet seed on clearance at the grocery store, has tiny yummy grains in it. 99 cents a pound is high for chicken feed, but it makes a nice occasional treat.
guineas really like white millet. there is a nebraska farm online somewhere that i ordered some direct, well worth it! my hens like it to, and sunflower seeds
barley is a good source of protein & fiber on occasion too, but just a little mixed in... you will know they got enough when you see explosion sized poos LOL
wild birds clean up what the chickens don't eat, but i prefer not to attract them...
TF-heehee, I love the Barley comment :) Yeah, I think I heard somewhere on here, about black sunflower seeds...though they can be higher in fat. I think I'm also going to take the suggestion of chamomile tea too, I have a few pullets that are sneezing...I don't see any other symptoms of illness, so maybe it will just give them a little "boost."
OT, but right now I have a little light brahma pullet in my garage; someone pecked an actual hole in her head! She seems fine, but I'm keeping her seperated from everyone till she heals, and I've been putting Wound Kote on it. Poor gal.
I know some people who give the the cracked corn and CRIMPED oats
cause they don't seem to eat the stuff in the scratch
Crested-isn't it funny how some are picky, and some aren't, lol!
BeautifulBrahma, Get some Wonder Dust and you'll have to apply it once. That's what I used on Blondie's butt when the others pecked her raw.
Susan
This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 1:53 PM
Gardner105, I saw that at TSC, and ended up getting this stuff instead, darn it lol! I guess it doesn't hurt to have plenty of meds on hand. I just put an ad up on freecycle for my excess roos. I think they are causing alot of the problems.
That could be, because when they cover a hen they always grab their head.
Yep; one of my poor little buff hens is missing feathers on her head, and on her back :( She's not getting picked at, at least, but I am keeping an eye on her. I just saw a post on another thread (post by LoraK) about fruits that roll-to give them something to do. I'm going to have to get some at the store tomorrow,
Yeah, I know how that is, poor Blondie was an absolute mess before I gave Red away and put her in the pen with the other chickens and the new rooster. She's all feathered out now and real pretty again. It took about 3 months for her to look good. I have read that if a rooster has a favorite hen or hens the girls won't have any feathers on their backs and heads and sometimes as in Blondie's case start bleeding. She got to the point where she was trying to hide from Red and that's when I knew he had to go, he was also starting to get a little agressive.
Aw, poor gal! Good to see she has it easier now :) I just had a family come and pick up 5 roos today.. Now I just have one Brahma roo, one Ameracauna, and one Hamburg (two if you count the dingaling that's living in the barn all by himself) I stayed in the coop after they left, just watching everybody, and it just seemed so much more "peaceful" already, lol! Almost like there was a sigh of relief, heehee :)
Isn't it amazing how we can pick up on the atmosphere around our animals. I've noticed that in my chicken pen when troublemakers were eliminated. It's like the clucking is a little happier. LOL! :) I hope the dingaling in the barn is happy all by himself! LOL!
Heehee, me too :) He is crowing, so must be pretty proud of himself, huh?!
I have 2 roosters together in the same yard and they get along. I am shocked. Elvis is a giant silver-laced bramma and the other is a banty silky. Maybe the size difference keeps them friendly?
I love my chicks. They are so relaxing to sit and watch. This year tho I plan to get some meat chicks. Any suggestions on what would be the best birds?
cyber, Cornish cross is what we raised for butcher. They're white like a Leghorn. We raised ours until they were 12 weeks, they were pretty good sized birds.
BeautifulBrahma, Here's a pic of my roo CG. He crows every morning now! Sure wish he had tail feathers though!! LOL!!
Ooh, he's still handsome! :) I have a couple walking around like that right now too, lol! I will see if I can figure out how to post pictures...
Posting pictures is easy! Below the message box you type in there is a space to enter location of picture (ie:Browse button) pick the picture you want to post and click open. the box will contain the info for your picture then when you send your picture will post with your message!
Hope this helps.
Megan
Thank you Megan! That does help....now if my husband doesn't holler that it's time to go, I will work on it, otherwise I will post some pics later, of my "herd" :)
Dawn
Here's a neat group of 3 of my girls, and two of the boys. I just love watching them graze. This was late summer.
Here's one of my two Brahma roos. This guy actually went to a new home last week, but I kept my other guy; he was a late bloomer, and I actually thought I had a pullet, because the pictured roo looked all boy, while the one I kept was as big as him, and had longer tail feathers, but didn't develop his comb, or crow for the longest time. The second guy seems more peaceful though, so I let the "boss" move on elsewhere, lol!
I loved this one, with my buff Brahma pullet running :)
Great pics! I love to see mine run! And seeing those big feet prints in the snow always bring a smile to my face.
Here's a pic of Blondie. She looks so much better now that Red is gone and she's in the pen with the others.
Here's one of CG's sisters. These are the two that like to be picked up. Right after I took this pic the one closest to me flew up on my shoulder!! What a surprise!! LOL!!!
This message was edited Dec 20, 2007 5:00 PM
This message was edited Dec 20, 2007 5:01 PM
Thanks LoraK! :) I know, when I see those big prints, I think of snowshoes, lol! My sons even have this farming video, where they talk about different aspects of the farm. When they get to the chickens, they say that they call them "snowshoe" chickens because of the feathering on their legs/feet, lol!
Gardner, Blondie looks like a sweet gal! And your girls flying up on your shoulder, lol! Mine haven't done that...yet!
Obviously I picked up on picture posting huh!? It's fun to be able to show off your feathered "kids" and of course to see everyone else' :)
Here's a pic of my group I ordered in July. This was taken in October I think. There's a mix of Light Brahma, White Rock, Golden Spangled Hamburgs and Ameracaunas. That really dark guy standing a bit taller turned out to be a beautiful roo-the one Ameracauna roo I decided to keep. He has blondes, black and green in his feathering-If I read some pages right, I think he's what they call "duckwing"....? Maybe not though, lol!
Here's a close up of him. I should get some current pics, he looks much prettier.
Beautiful, Blondie is a sweet gal, she used to let me pick her up too when she was out with Cruiser before we lost him. But now she runs from me. Here's a pic of CG's & the girls' mom, they have another sister but she's a touch-me-not. I don't have one of their dad as I gave him away, he was a pure Plymouth Barred Rock mom is Americauna/Buff Orpington.
Here's a pic of some of the PLUCKING Sex-links!! LOL!! They're the reason CG doesn't have any tail feathers! I have 6 of them. The Plymouth Rock is an aunt to CG and the girls, I have two of them.
This message was edited Dec 20, 2007 8:20 PM
Beautiful girls, even though they are naughty :) CG's mom is a mix, huh! She sure is neat looking. I love to see the varieties some mixes come up with.
Thanks, I just wish they weren't so naughty as they lay fantastically large eggs for their size. Yeah I hatched her out in my incubator along with 5 other eggs. I can't remember what happened to the other chickens though, I think she was the only one that looked like her. She does have a crooked toe though, it looks really funny.
Aww :) I love going out to collect eggs, and see the different sizes/shades of brown. I have two little buff hens laying, two buff brahma's laying, one speckled sussex, and now my white rock pullets have started. I have 10 of those gals, so far I think 2 or 3 have started. The only problem is, I keep finding their little eggs cracked. I don't know if they are "dropping" them in the nest box, or are sitting/stepping on them too roughly or what. I'm assuming it's just a learning thing, and that it will pass. I even found one today on top of the nest box, lol! My husband built a 6 hole nesting box out of spare wood we had-it works pretty well.
you might try to increase their protein intake [alfalfa?] to help absorb the calcium to make the shell & membranes stronger...
TF-yep, they get a good flake of alfalfa every day. I even split that one flake, and have it in two different areas, so they aren't so crowded while picking at it. I have them on Kent layer pellets mixed with ground corn, fresh water, and have even added the chamomile tea to their water twice now :) I sprinkle oyster shell on the food, but maybe I haven't been giving enough; I sprinkle it on the top of the filled feeder, and the "trough" part....so once that is picked through, there probably isn't much left...
it would be interesting to find out what is breaking those shells... might try an alfalfa and raspberry leaf tea for a coupl eof weeks...
I use a separate feeder for the oyster shell so they can get as much as they want without picking through there feed.
TF-is rasberry leaf supposed to help with the shell? I haven't heard of that one before.
chickenrancher-that's probably what I should do. I have an extra little feeder, I will probably go out and fill it today.
raspberry leaf helps with the overall female reproductive system, including membranes, so likely would help with the shell as well, also purifies their system. and alfalfa tea is going to be much richer than just picking at the flakes [though mine clean up the hay better than the horse or goats!]
mine eat the rocks in the driveway, never touched the oyster shell i had set out. but now and then they get layer crumbles or pellets which has them included. and they always get eggshells. but i did keep the oyster shell separate when i had it out...
so when you make the tea for the chickens, have some for yourself while theirs is cooling down!
tf