My oldest "chicks" are 16 weeks now. Can I gradually put them on layer rations now--or do I need to wait another couple weeks?
Layer PelletsWhen?
seems i had mine off stasrter and on free range, whole grains, & grit by 10 weeks. didn't use layer pellets till about 5 months, but actually 16 weeks is going to be more helpful getting them ready...
That's about the weeks the layer bag at the feed store says. Mine have about most of this month to go before I change them over.
MollyD
Thanks---I have just enough of the chick starter to mix with layer pellets and change them gradually. The rest of the chicks are on a different brand of starter (definitely unmedicated). The first were on an unlabeled bag from the feed store so I am not really sure if it is medicated--don't want to buy more of that.:0)
Mine are about 7 weeks old now. I didn't realize how fast chickens grow. They went through a 50 lb bag of turkey food.
The man at the feedstore said turkey feed was good for chicks so that's what I started them on. That ran out a few days ago, so I went to Gebo's. They said they had chick starter, and went to the back to check and somehow .. I dunno how, but they loaded my car with a bag that just says "Hi Pro Poultry feed".
I was wondering about other things I might feed them that would add to their nutrition and might even be less expensive. How about oats? I noticed they are also about the same price.
You know I have a feeling we might all be better off eating feed for animals. Probably more nutritious and definitely cheaper. :) The horse and mule looks kind of like granola.
But seriously, what do they put in these feeds? Probably GM. I read an article the other day that said almost all of our corn, soy, canola and umm.. gee I forgot... it's probably wheat, anyway, they are almost all genetically modified now. In Europe they are trying to fight GM food, feed and seed. They said their animals died on it. That they could fill a trough with half gm and the other half not, and the animals would refuse to eat gm food when they had a choice.
Yes, they are from the government and they are here to help us. :P
Karen
Karen, the hi pro chick starrter crumbles [pshould say 1399 on the tag at the b ottom] is unmedicated... i have started all my chicks on it.
really, turkey starter for chicks can cause health problems...
if you use as much organic as possible you will get less GMOs.
but most of the GM grains go into livestock feed, so we eat it through the steaks and chicken from the stores. pretty certain the mill at Friona, where hi-proi comes from is non-gmo, i checked them out a few years ago.
farmer's are gradually waking up to the high cost of planitng GM seeds... they have lots of info about it in the sustainable energy forum...
Yes, it says 1399. You are so smart TamaraFaye, and you even found a new home for the duckie, and a good one.
That makes me feel better about the feed too, concerning GM. Guess I'll keep buying there, and not listen to the man that sold me the turkey feed.
Here's another question for you, off topic. I was reading all of you talking about DE so I ordered 50 lbs of it. Then I read later that some DE is not safe. So here is what the bag says:
Perma-Guard
?? shell flour (can't make out that word, think it is probably fossil)
?? caking agent
A natural product composed of ground diatomaceous earth
Fresh Watertype
Amorphous Silica
Suggested mixing rate: The manufacturer of fossil shell flour anticaking agent suggests that it be mixed in animal food at the rate of 2% of the dry weight of the food.
Food chemical CODEX (giant font) Grade OMRI
listed organic materials Reade? Institute Perma-Guarde Incorporated Albuquerque, NM
So it sounds like it is ok to feed to the animals, but I have no idea how much. I took some myself when I first got it and didn't feel too well. I did put some on the donkey and dog for bugs, but that's all I've done with it. I just went in today and copied down everything it said on the bag. As far as I can tell, it sounds ok, and not the kind for swimming pools. Maybe I should start a new thread about the donkey and not go on here with this.
Karen
a donkey thread would be so cool!
can you tell me where you bought the DE. i was told we could only buy it froma place like Prochem in Amarillo... maybe if it is OK stuff, i can buy part fo the bag from you [if you don't need that much?]
my understanding is that you should only use Food Grade, ther is no livestock grade in TX. but if you bought it online, you probably bought ag-grade, not good...
tf
I bought it on ebay, and was thinking with the way things are, I might need it eventually, especially if I am going to garden and keep pets. It should last me forever, which was the plan. I think I paid between $50 and $60 for it, including the shipping. The delivery woman, bless her heart, she couldn't figure out why the box was so heavy. She didn't know she was carrying 50 lbs of dirt, and I didn't tell her.
This economy is looking so scary, or is it just the media trying to make us feel afraid? I dunno. It seems there is a tremendous amount of fear going around. Wasn't it FDR that said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"? Guess we have forgotten that. I'm not so sure that is a completely true statement, but fear is NOT good. God doesn't give us a spirit of fear. Another good reason for turning off cable tv. Is it ok to preach here? I heard something about no religious conversation or political debates or something, but remember the story about who was it.. a bible figure... and he had all these thousands of men, and he just kept eliminating them until he had 300 that were not afraid. They did a lot of damage to the enemy. Forgive me I can't remember his name. It'll come to me later. Was his name Gideon?
Well I just came back from looking at my ebay account and it was too long ago to look up, I was going to give you the link where I bought the DE.
Maybe you can tell me what exactly the rules are here, I am new, but if I can't freely speak my mind, I'm sure I won't be staying.
Karen
I think you can speak your mind, but within reason. If you offend someone here, you'll know soon enough. When it comes to politics, I can get pretty heated, that's why I try to avoid those conversations. I have strong opinions about certain things, and tend to get upset when people suggest that I'm a lesser person or believe that everyone else should think the way they think. You won't find me arguing with your beliefs that the government is super corrupt, I believe that too. Others may have a different opinion though.
I think your DE sounds safe--I don't think many people intentionally eat it--just that the food grade wouldn't hurt you if you did. The danger is primarily that, like asbestos and even talcum powder, the tiny particles can lodge in you airways and possibly cause something like silicosis, black lung or even eventually cancer. There is something called "white lung" that people get from working in cotton mills--all the fine fiber eventually causes emphysema and other permanent lung conditions. The food grade DE is milled so that it doesn't form the tiny particles that can enter and lodge in your lungs--unlike the swimming pool filter stuff where they want a very fine powder with a lot of surface area. I don't think anything is absolutely safe--but food grade DE is pretty close when used properly.
yeah, i would agree with Catscan, just don't ingest it again, OK? use it externally, and wear a mask when you use it...
their is a link at the bottom called Acceptable Use Policy and it states that discussions of a political or religious nature are not allowed.
perosnally, Karen, i dohn't think what you jsut said about fear with reference to a bible story is considered either, and it certainly isn't debateable, DERN SURE don't offend me!
i'd have to say that fears are worthless, caution necessary!
tf
You seem to be good hearted people on here. I appreciate that. Ty.
I took DE 20 years ago because an elderly gentleman from the health food store in Amarillo told me it might help. The idea was to get rid of any parasites I might have that might be causing my health problems. I took it for awhile and then one day thought, "Why am I eating dirt?" People get parasites too though, and we could pick them up anywhere, just like our animals. I don't think it's a bad idea to take things for parasites, like black walnut hull, wormwood, and cloves once in awhile. I didn't know if this DE was unsafe or if I was having herxheimer's. I may try it again later, only in a smaller quantity.
TF, I was curious, what is up with you and your neighbors having problems? Hope it's okay to ask. Not trying to be rude, but you mentioned it once but I never heard what was going on or why.
oh, you aren't rude. i'll tell ya someday...