New pullets need quarantine advice please :)

[Bruce]

Hahaha!
Which "bless yer little heart" is that?

Hmmm, well @Beekissed claims W. Va isn't "the south" (though the maps say it is based on the Mason Dixon line) so she probably means it in the positive sense
Besides, if she wanted to insult someone, you wouldn't need to wonder about it any more than you would if @Baymule wanted to insult someone. It wouldn't be rude but you'ld know the intent. I love people that don't pussyfoot around.

 

[thistlebloom]

I love people that don't pussyfoot around.

Me too! Punch me in the face, don't stab me in the back!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Most feed stores that do not have very many in the area that want a certain type feed, do not keep it in stock because they have to order a minimum amount.... or in the case of a mill than makes their own, have to make a minimum amount. If it is not sold in a reasonable amount of time, it can get "old" or even stale and musty. Our mill will make a 1 ton of some of the feeds, but then I get it delivered in bulk and have to have a 2 ton minimum for delivery. So I can get 1 ton of poultry and 1 ton of cattle feed. I also get a small discount if I give them at least 48 hour notice or get a minimum of 4 ton.... I will get the early order discount if I call ahead and tell them......Whenever you are headed this way the next time, I need 2 ton of such and such.... Sometimes it is 3-5 days.... but they give me a break since they can put in on a truck that is already coming this way. Most of the delivery trucks have 4-6 separate "bins" and they hold at least 2 ton.
But in the case of having it on the "floor" at the store....if there isn't enough call for it, it will get stale or even musty. So if you can get a place to order it for you, and take a minimum amount, and are a regular customer, they will be more likely to keep some in stock. Many places have to get at least a ton.... a pallet will hold up to 50 - 50 lb bags..... and many places that get it shipped in will have to get a minimum of a pallet. If they make their own, most "mixes/formulas" are based on a ton because many of the vitamins/minerals etc are added in small amounts......like 4 lbs per ton, 1/2 lb per ton, etc. It is often very difficult to break it down in less than a ton mix. If they carry the mix in 50 lb bags on the "floor" they are making up 1-2 tons at a time so that it is fresh for the customer.

Years ago, I was raising guinea pigs and had TSC order GP pellets in 50 lb bags. GP's do not make Vit C in their system and it has to be ingested from their food.... like humans. They did not carry it, so I asked and had to take 4 bags at a time, and then they found that there were a couple other people who would buy it. TSC is better about being able to order "partial pallets"... but it depends on the store manager too.

The musty pellets...that’s why we don’t buy from my hubby’s sister’s store..bad feed. And, we can’t tell her. She’ll give us outdated feed...and it’s like...thanks. We are landlords of 35 units...we take garbage to the landfill...so then we have to pay to dump the bad feed..ugh. Anyways...the place we go makes their own feed..just not goat..no demand..and I only have two..for now. How long does 1 ton of chicken feed last you..how many chickens? Or whatever birds? Our store does the discount thing. We have room to store it..but before we didn’t want it to go bad...now we’ve upped our numbers.

Speaking of feed...do any of you grow any crops that you can feed to your animals? We also farm veggies. Last year my ducks ate tons of everything...now we’re talking a huuuuge fence...ugh again. But...we’ve decided to use about 5 acres to grow something. We thought corn...no ones allowed to eat much. Plus..need a ton of equipment. Soybeans don’t grow well here. Anyways.. I think we settled on sunflowers and pumpkins. Pumpkins last soooo long and were a huge money maker at our farm market at our driveway stand. All the animals can eat both, and...neither take huge equipment...

Any thoughts?

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

MUST goats have alfalfa? I don't know if anyone around here grows it. It is too protein rich for alpacas so I've not looked for it.

The local Farm and Garden store carries Poulin products (now 3rd generation family owned Vermont grain business) but I think I am one of the few (if not only) that buys the Alpaca and Llama maintenance pellets so they have to special order it since I only use 100-150 pounds a year. I have noticed that they have always had some when I've gone in this past year so they are either planning really well or are getting at least 1 bag in stock knowing I'll be asking. They don't carry any All Stock sweet feed so I get that from TSC. I mix some into the alpaca pellets, only use about 50 pounds a year, maybe less.

They don’t eat many pellets? How many do you have?

 

[Bruce]

Just the 2 wethered alpacas. They each get about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pellets twice a day. As much hay as they want and plenty of pasture when the grasses are growing. The 23 hens are eating about 100 pounds a month, no way I'd get a ton delivered!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Nadolig LLawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year).

Just edited my last post to change 'the stakes will love it' (the duck house that is) to 'the drakes will love it'......what IS it with my computer? (the autocorrect feature end up with causing me endless trouble as I seem unable to notice the 'minor changes' it makes. The deranged machine just changed drakes to stakes again......it seems not too like that word.

Just reading about the trouble getting bags of feed. The approx 50lb bags work out more expensive than bulk feed, but folk with a small number of animals don't want to have large quantities of feed which would spoil before being used. Maybe if there was a regular order, say monthly, a feed store would accommodate your purchase. Duckfarmerpa1, find out what your neighbours are using for feed as to what will be the most easily available and economical to use, and maybe you could buy

These days I rely on my many trips to the sheep shed to 'keep fit' rather than proper exercise, though I was a marathon runner in my heyday. A ruptured Achilles tendon and broken ankle put a stop to that. I doubt I could find the time to do the 'practice' now, even if the mind were willing. Working on a farm/smallholding is physically demanding enough for me now.

Oh geez... I tore my perennial tendon Aug2018 ! Raking apples! Long story but I was disabled...WAS..and that was my bad leg. Then after PT...I got so strong on my whole leg...look out..now I’m nuts! My hubby loves it but can’t keep up...lol.

Anyways, we are at the feed store weekly. I’m trying sooo hard to keep track of how much we buy..,to know what we are spending..,and, it’s just not happening. I run the farm. Period. Chris builds it. But, yes, the many trips to our barns, in the the deep iced over snow today, carrying buckets because the plastic valve on the 300 gallon water tank froze! Ugh.

Is it possible to NOT have mice in my barn? Crazy question right? Most of my feed is in rubber made totes. But, we just got two extra bags, and I don’t have room..,and they are different types of duck feed that I’m trying out. Anyways... I see no sign of mice in this barn. Well, it’s actually a converted semi trailer. We were short on time. We bought a semi trailer..gutted the wood floor..put in cherry hard wood...sectioned it....ducks with 32 rabbit cages above...then grain room..then goats. There are solid doors between the ducks and goats so there is no cross contamination..other than..when my goats try to sneak in and grab a snack!! I’ve got that basically under control..but Stormy is a stinker! We cut a door and three windows in the side. Redid walls and roof. Pretty sure it cost more than a barn. Cool part..it’s on a 4th foot grade...my hubby built housing for animals the whole way underneath. When our 20 week old ducklings came out of the brooder they went in a 6’x8’ pen underneath...it was great! Then they grew big enough to join the other guys. Anyways...the trailer door..at the far end is open during the day. But I’ve never seen a mouse. I do know my ducks eat mice, and frogs. But, is it possible that there just aren’t any out there? We’ve trapped 21 in the garage and this barn attached to my house...hmmmmmm

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Just the 2 wethered alpacas. They each get about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pellets twice a day. As much hay as they want and plenty of pasture when the grasses are growing. The 23 hens are eating about 100 pounds a month, no way I'd get a ton delivered!

I don’t understand...we go through wayyyyyy more feed than you...until this week..less hens... my hens get free feed..do yours? Are they good layers?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, it’s actually a converted semi trailer.

Would love to see pics! (or have you posted them already and I missed it?)

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Would love to see pics! (or have you posted them already and I missed it?)

These are pictures of when we first got it and then after doing the floor...the ducks on their side....then you can the water eras and how we built a feeder into the wall...works ok....now they all have sleeping boxes against the walls. By the grain room there is a heated waterer. Then you can see the trailer door with my pots coming in for the first time. They don’t like the ramp...too hard for them. They stayed in the small barn. Thats the goats side. They don’t have stalls because they never did before and I didn’t want to stress them with sooo much change. We’ll see about when the kids arrive. New post for a couple more. I don’t have any of the outside...I’ll get some..no shudders yet...got too cold too fast.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

These are pictures of when we first got it and then after doing the floor...the ducks on their side....then you can the water eras and how we built a feeder into the wall...works ok....now they all have sleeping boxes against the walls. By the grain room there is a heated waterer. Then you can see the trailer door with my pots coming in for the first time. They don’t like the ramp...too hard for them. They stayed in the small barn. Thats the goats side. They don’t have stalls because they never did before and I didn’t want to stress them with sooo much change. We’ll see about when the kids arrive. New post for a couple more. I don’t have any of the outside...I’ll get some..no shudders yet...got too cold too fast. View attachment 68216View attachment 68217View attachment 68218View attachment 68219View attachment 68220View attachment 68221View attachment 68222View attachment 68223View attachment 68224View attachment 68225
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Oops...sorry.. I posted those dumb pictures twice...maybe you won’t notice? Lol. Ok. Hers just a couple more...here you can see how we wrapped the cages around the tra. He put tin under to catch the Pooh. Room for 32 rab..give or take several now that we just had 12 kits! And then you can see my stinker rabbit Uncle George that jumped out of his cage...first on the left...and up to the top!! He’s nuts! He’s my favorite...he keeps me on my toes. it’s uni barn, that’s for sure...we thought we might save some money...original plans were for a 32x24 barn....I ask Him if he’s happy with the choice..because he had to redo everything....roof leaked like crazy...was noisy ...etc it’s good now...I think