We attended the very nice auction site of Mt.Hope this week. The mission was to purchase enough fryers as cheap as possible for the fridge. When the prices are anywhere from 75 cents to $3 a fryer, the money saved from feeding them 12 weeks makes it worth the trip.
While there, I spotted an amazing very large New Zealand white buck. I fell in love. I was determined I would not leave without him. He would make an amazing breeder for our meat production. When it came time for bidding on him, as usual, there was a bidding war for this prize. I was competing with 3 buyers and once the price got up to $10, I just left my bid card in the air, not taking it down to signal I was in this to win. Needless to say I got him for a great price compared to what I would have anywhere else. BUT what I paid for him is what I paid total, for the 9 fryers.
While there, I spotted an amazing very large New Zealand white buck. I fell in love. I was determined I would not leave without him. He would make an amazing breeder for our meat production. When it came time for bidding on him, as usual, there was a bidding war for this prize. I was competing with 3 buyers and once the price got up to $10, I just left my bid card in the air, not taking it down to signal I was in this to win. Needless to say I got him for a great price compared to what I would have anywhere else. BUT what I paid for him is what I paid total, for the 9 fryers.
Of course what is a moment of joy not spattered with upset?! As I was collecting a few fryers from a bottom cage,(they use stacked cages at the auction), a doe in a top cage went into the outside corner (Panda swore she was aiming it at me! ), when I suddenly felt wetness on my side/ hip area. I turned around saying"what was that?" as my daughter is roaring with laughter... " Pee! she just peed on you!". Lets just say the trip home was not joyful with that odor on my shirt.
It's not the first time I have endured a rabbit peeing on me. What is it about rabbits peeing on me?!
Our new buck has a wonderful temperament. Does not mind being held (which for the kids can be hard due to his size). So friendly and calm.
Depending on your locale, you may not have many options in commercial feed despite having a local feed mill that does customized blends. One must consider the life of the ingredient. Not just the recipe.
There is an unused area on the south side of the property which we will be experimenting with growing our own chicken & rabbit feed. We will start out with a plot of around 1800 sq ft. (30x60). I have been very unhappy with store bought feed and its ingredients. Between the dominate soybeans & corn ( usually GMA and/or heavily chemical raised) are enough to make me rethink their feed.
Raising them on a commercial feed which most likely contains ingredients grown/modified in a way I am completely against makes me feel uncomfortable & hypocritical. The opportunity for change is an option we now have room for.
Our livestock number is low enough that with the 30x60 plot, we should be able to provide enough feed year round. They have an old dog kennel run which is approx. 10x30 then turns into a 15x50 feet space (in an L shape). For 5 hens & a few rabbits, the greens are never over taxed. With grass in some spots over a foot tall, a free range environment is replicated while their safety is drastically ensured (compared to just roaming the property).
Depending on your locale, you may not have many options in commercial feed despite having a local feed mill that does customized blends. One must consider the life of the ingredient. Not just the recipe.
There is an unused area on the south side of the property which we will be experimenting with growing our own chicken & rabbit feed. We will start out with a plot of around 1800 sq ft. (30x60). I have been very unhappy with store bought feed and its ingredients. Between the dominate soybeans & corn ( usually GMA and/or heavily chemical raised) are enough to make me rethink their feed.
Raising them on a commercial feed which most likely contains ingredients grown/modified in a way I am completely against makes me feel uncomfortable & hypocritical. The opportunity for change is an option we now have room for.
Our livestock number is low enough that with the 30x60 plot, we should be able to provide enough feed year round. They have an old dog kennel run which is approx. 10x30 then turns into a 15x50 feet space (in an L shape). For 5 hens & a few rabbits, the greens are never over taxed. With grass in some spots over a foot tall, a free range environment is replicated while their safety is drastically ensured (compared to just roaming the property).
The gate entry section has been tilled. Clearing out the rocks & planting a winter rye this weekend. The animals will have a fence keeping them from this section until growth is adequate.
In the sunniest corner, we are putting in a raised bed with a cold frame cover for growing items through winter. I have planted Swiss chard, spinach ^ winter density lettuce plus the dandelions I have transplanted. Having it IN their pen will make the winter supplement harvest a bit easier.
one half has yet to be filled with soil.
The plan for the big feed garden is to grow black oil sunflowers(PEREDOVIK variety) , corn, alfalfa, climbing peas or beans along with red clover, rye & alfalfa or timothy grass. MINDFUL intensive inter cropping/rotation.
I am still working out the details and doing calculations for proper ratios. We have begun fishing at the local lake to supplement the chicken protein diet need. Our children love to fish and the blue gill love their hooks. The Captain just pops them in the freezer for later use. We will defrost the fish, chop it up & put it in their scrap pan. All of this with the kitchen & garden scraps will provide their need for a well rounded healthy diet.
I found a helpful site which gave the deciding factor for what I plan to grow. I chose diverse items which would provide for their needs but also work for the intensive planting of our small plot. There is such vast knowledge and opinions with the greatness of internet. I have skimmed through many a book from the library on the livestock feeding subject. With no success on finding anything on growing your own alternatives other then what is found in commercial feed. The internet offers much more information access without having a "publisher" backing them.
If your looking to grow a versatile crop of sunflowers, check this site out on how easy it is to make your own sunflower seed oil for your own consumption. I'm printing those pages out for later reference.
I found a helpful site which gave the deciding factor for what I plan to grow. I chose diverse items which would provide for their needs but also work for the intensive planting of our small plot. There is such vast knowledge and opinions with the greatness of internet. I have skimmed through many a book from the library on the livestock feeding subject. With no success on finding anything on growing your own alternatives other then what is found in commercial feed. The internet offers much more information access without having a "publisher" backing them.
If your looking to grow a versatile crop of sunflowers, check this site out on how easy it is to make your own sunflower seed oil for your own consumption. I'm printing those pages out for later reference.
We are also speaking with Mr. M about keeping a few pigs on the back 5 acre empty land. The best part of this? It was The Captains idea! We figure by raising a few piglets and sharing with Mr. M, no one would mind our use of the empty land.
There is always an abundance of change going on around here, which I do enjoy. But I must bid you goodnight before I ramble on more.
And as always....
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
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