The Old Folks Home

[microchick]

I was at TSC today. Seems like scratch is twice as much as it was last year! Only use it in cold weather .

I'm mixing my own scratch. I buy cracked corn and mix milo and BOSS with it. The birds gobble it down and when I did the math it turned out to be cheaper than buying scratch grain with BOSS in it.

Layer pellets are outrageously priced IMHO. Almost 20$ a bag here depending on what you buy. Makes wasting a big concern at that price. Higher for name brands like Purina.

I've tried pulling my scratch from the hens in the spring and they went on a hunger strike. If I leave a feeder with scratch out for them along with their pellets they will nibble at both and their weight stays good. Without the Scratch their weight drops. I suspect maybe in my older birds that this might be a left over from being exposed to Marek's but who knows.

Morning all! Opening day of Deer season here. 28 for the low. I'm toasty warm inside. One thing I've done that is bowing to my age is I'd rather be in a nice warm house on cold mornings than sitting out in the woods in a blind at dawn when the temp is in the 20s and the wind is blowing.

Not that hungry nor that desperate. If we go out it will be in the late afternoon just to get some fresh air.

 

[microchick]

PS. Remember.

If you love your freedom, hug a Veteran today!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Good morning Old Folks I am so glad I do not have more than 16 in the main coop,
5 in banty.
Crazy but happy love my veteran.

 

[bruceha2000]

I was at TSC today. Seems like scratch is twice as much as it was last year! Only use it in cold weather .

Mine has gone up but not drastically. $10.30/50 pound bag with my old guy discount (no BOSS in my scratch grains). The 20 birds share a 5.5 oz cat food can of it every afternoon. In the morning they get the same amount of BOSS. BOSS is EXPENSIVE!!!!! $28 for 40 pounds.

 

[microchick]

Mine has gone up but not drastically. $10.30/50 pound bag with my old guy discount (no BOSS in my scratch grains). The 20 birds share a 5.5 oz cat food can of it every afternoon. In the morning they get the same amount of BOSS. BOSS is EXPENSIVE!!!!! $28 for 40 pounds.

I think I paid 16.50 or 18.50 can't remember exact amount for Boss the last time I bought a bag and it was 50#. I was paying about that amount for a 25 pound bag when I was buying it from the local MFA.

The only all flock I can get around here is crumbles. My birds waste more crumbles than they eat. Same with the Game bird finisher.

Yesterday I spent the day looking at chick prices at all the hatcheries.

This year has been hard on my birds. I lost 9 hens. Mostly old age stuff and related reproductive problems. Then lost one to a broken leg. A fox took three of my pet roosters while they were free ranging.

I'd like to 'freshen up' my bantam flock's genes a bit. For years I've been wanting Red Pyle OEGB and thought well maybe next year is the year. Then I started looking at the minimum orders and the prices for sexed bantams. Only one place I could find even does that and they want $11+ for sexed pullets. Most have 15 bird minimums. My Pet Chicken doesn't even carry OEGBs but I think they do small orders so no help there.

Finally told my husband that although I said I wasn't going to hatch that didn't mean I couldn't stuff eggs under my broodies and let them hatch them. Which looking at prices maybe I can pick up a few chicks at the local Orscheln's which is now Buchheits and let my birds hatch a few for me and hope for pullets.

Hope always blooms eternal.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Wow Okay no Boss chicken food out here X cel out here is 16 % 60 lb bags of
pellets are 18.99 here.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Found this in my Mom's cookbook.

 

[LTAY1946]

Good morning old folks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hi

 

[sourland]

Good afternoon, OF.