10 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON CHICKEN FEED

The current state of mass food production has make us to realizes things like milk, eggs, and grains cost much less than they actually do or should.

For example: Even though we have our own milk cow, our milk technically costs me more than it would to simply buy a gallon at the grocery store.

The good news is saving money isn’t the primary reason we’ve chosen to own a cow. For us, it’s really about the quality of the product; our milk is fresh, beyond organic, and wonderfully raw. Not to mention owning a cow just plain makes me happy, so it’s a quality of life thing for us as well

Chickens and eggs fall into the same category. While it depends on feed prices in your area, I’m still going to venture to say if you are looking for “frugal” eggs, you’ll probably be better off to buy eggs from the store. But, that’s not the reason most of us keep chickens, right? We love the bright yellow yolks, the satisfaction of watching the hens peck around the yard, and all that comes with chicken-ownership.

THESE ARE 10 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON CHICKEN FEED
1.Mix your own feed. I say this with a wee bit of hesitation, since depending on your situation, it may actually be MORE expensive to mix your own feed… However, I do suggest finding a recipe you like (all my homemade chicken feed recipes are in my Natural Homestead book), and then shopping around with local feed stores to see how much it would cost for them to mix it for you. Also, don’t forget to check with the local farmers in your area. Sometimes they’ll have older grains sitting around that aren’t fit for human use, but would be fabulous for your flock.

2. Buy feed in bulk. I buy everything in bulk, including my chicken feed. Often feed stores will give you a cut if you purchase a pallet of feed, rather than just a bag or two. Another trick is to split a large order with a friend. My one caveat is this: chicken feed which has been ground/processed/cracked, rapidly looses nutrition as it sits. It’s probably not a good idea to purchase a year’s supply at a time, unless you are using a recipe that calls for whole grains–they are much more shelf-stable.

3. Ferment your chicken feed. Fermenting your chicken feed greatly increases nutrition, and decreases the amount they eat. The same sprouting.

4.  Free range as much as possible. I realize this isn’t possible for everyone, but if you can, allow your chickens to roam around your yard. Not only will this greatly supplement their diet, it can also help to control bug populations, and keeps them from becoming bored. Plus, there is something so soothing about watching chickens scratch around your front porch.

5. Bring the yard to the flock, if the flock can’t roam the yard. When my hens must stay confined to their pen in the summer months (usually because they are destroying my almost-ripe tomatoes), I like to pick large handfuls of weeds or grass and toss them over the chicken-run fence. The girls definitely enjoy rummaging around in the green matter. I also like to take a bucket to the garden with me when I weed, and I collect all the weeds in the bucket and transport them to the flock as well. (Although I don’t have near as many weeds as I used to, thanks to my deep-mulching adventures!)

6. Ask for leftover vegetable and fruit scraps at the grocery store. Not all stores will allow this, but ask if you can have the wilted lettuce, squishy tomatoes, and bruised apples. Some folks also collect stale bread items from bakeries, but I personally avoid this. Many of the bread items sold in stores like donuts, breads, rolls, or muffins are made with heavily processed ingredients and additives. They might be okay for the occasional treat, but they aren’t something I’d recommend feeding on a regular basis– just as humans shouldn’t eat them as the bulk of their diet.

7.  Grow duckweed. I haven’t tried growing my own duckweed yet, but I’m totally intrigued! Duckweed is a high protein plant that can be fed to a variety of animals, including chickens. If you’re a duckweed grower, please leave a comment and share your wisdom!

8. Raise soldier grubs. As tough as I like to think I am, I must confess I’m still not quite ready to tackle the whole concept of raising grubs/larvae for my birds. Do I think it’s incredibly smart? YES. Do I think it’s a fabulous way to create low-cost, high-protein feed? YES. Do I want to get up-close-and personal with maggots? Eh, not quite yet. If you’re braver than me, my chicken-keeping idol, Harvey Ussery, has a chapter in his book (affiliate link) devoted entirely to cultivating soldier grubs.

9. Offer leftover milk and whey. If you own dairy goats, cows, or sheep, you are familiar with the feeling of drowning in milk. When you’re floating in milk and have made all the homemade yogurt and mozzarella cheese you can handle, consider sharing your excess with your chickens. Leftover milk and whey are full of protein and most flocks will enjoy the treat. For an extra boost of probiotic nutrition, clabber your raw milk by allowing it to sit out at room temperature for several days until it begins to thicken. (Don’t attempt this with pasteurized milk– you will not have the same results.

10. Save kitchen scraps for your flock. I keep a small bucket on my kitchen counter at all times and continually toss in bits of leftover bread, celery ends, carrot peelings, watermelon rinds, and more. It’s a feeding frenzy when I show up at the coop. My chickens have even been known to chase me down in the yard when they see me carrying any sort of white bucket. It’s insanely satisfying to watch your birds turn kitchen waste into orange-yolked eggs.

GUATEMALA TO ANNOUNCES RELOCATION OF ITS EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM

Guatemala has decided to follow USA decision its announcing plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv.

Following a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday, the President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, announced his decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

“We talked about the excellent relations we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the State of Israel,” the president said in a Facebook post, stressing that one of the most relevant issues “was the return of the Guatemalan Embassy to Jerusalem.”

“I inform you that I have given instructions to the Chancellor to initiate the respective coordination” to move the embassy, Morales said in his brief post, without stating whether or not the country recognizes Jerusalem as the state capital.

The Central American country was one of just nine states to support the US decision during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) vote this week. On Thursday, the UNGA overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution condemning Donald Trump’s declaration to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called on member states not to move their diplomatic missions to the Holy City. The non-binding UNGA resolution was backed by 128 states, while 35 countries abstained. Guatemala, Honduras, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Togo, the US and Israel voted in favor of the US decision. The UNGA vote followed the US veto of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution Monday. All other UNSC members voted in favor of a motion to rescind President Donald Trump’s decision.

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR DAVIDO TO MAKES 500 MILLION NAIRA IN A CONCERT. ALI BABA DEFEND DAVIDO

Nigerian popular popstar Davido announced that he made 500 million naira from his concert which took place in Lagos on December 27th, and many people didn't believe him.

The popular veteran comedian Ali Baba has defended the claims saying it is indeed possible and as a matter of fact making 500 million naira Is only a tip of what entertainment can generate for Nigeria.

This is Ali Baba respons...
This afternoon, at about 1pm, I got a message on my WhatsApp asking me to confirm if Davido can actually make the kind of money he claims to have made. I thought the sender was patronizing... or as we say in Warri "e dey use style find my mouth". But this evening, I got another chat from a Banker, who wanted to know if the kind of money he is hearing could be made from a concert. I could not ignore this one. He is the Chief Risk Officer of a top 5 bank.

So, I took my time to mention how possible it is to even make more than the figure he has heard being mentioned. In 2007... I worked on an Entertainment, sports, hospitality and recreation R&D project with some great minds. That was 10 years ago. And after all information and surveys were gathered, we found out that between 5-8Billions... Yes billions... are spent between Friday and Sunday. 10 years on, from another survey carried out last year, its now over 15billion every weekend.

The financial dynamics can be dazzling. That's showbizness. It's unfair, or better put, a total waste of efforts to compare your career as a banker, doctor, lawyer, accountant, engineer and businessman, to that of people in the sector listed above. Usain Bolt for instance could make the profits of some banks just by taking part in 3 meets. Because the prize money, endorsements and investments, could amount to some cool dollars. Just convert that. Mayweather is another case in point. What people miss is.
The Entertainment sector is a gold mine that activates commercial activities in allied sectors. Sectors like, banking, security, hospitality, food and beverage, fashion, video & photo coverage, equipment rental, printing, advertising, branding, luxury market, marketing, legal, graphics, insurance, stage, engineering, medical, transportation, tourism, events management, comedy, broadcasting content, telecommunications, data consumption... and more. ZENITH BANK, GTB, HERITAGE, PEPSI, GLO... know this. And it can be a 200billion every weekend sector. We are far behind considering the potentials we have. So yes. N500m IS A TIP. Davido can actually make that money, Ali baba .

HOME MADE TREATMENT FOR CHICKENS FLEAS ,LICE, AND MITES

No one wants to think about creepy crawlies crawling all over their chickens, but it certainly isn’t something you want to ignore, either. As we dive into chicken keeping, I often look to experienced, knowledgeable friends for what to do in any given situation.

Chickens are naturally a resilient, generally disease free bird. But they do fall victim to several different types of parasites at times. In small numbers these seldom cause any issue, but given the right conditions, their populations will explode exponentially.

A heavy infestation on these blood sucking bugs cause stress, resulting in a decline in condition. Fleas, lice and mites are different bugs but similar natural treatments work with all of them as they all have similar aversions and weaknesses.

WHAT ARE FLEAS?

Chicken fleas are small and brown and visible to the naked eye. They live on the bird, and can survive off of animals in long grass for short periods. They hop from host to host. The adult fleas that you see only represents 5% of your flea population. The other 95% exists in egg and larvae form.

WHAT ARE MITES?

Mites are a distant cousin of spiders, they even have eight legs and a quite tiny.

Red mites: They live in nooks, cracks and crannies in the chicken coop, particularly the perches and nesting boxes. They come out at night and feed on the chicken’s blood. These mites are very difficult to get rid of once they’ve become established.

Northern Fowl Mite: Small and blackish brown. All stages live on the chicken and are generally found in the vent region.

Scaly leg mite: These live in between the scales on the chickens legs. Causing them to look rough and thick, then the chicken may go lame.

WHAT ARE LICE?
There are up to 50 species of lice found on chickens They are all soft-bodied, pale-colored, flattened-bodied insects. They do not suck blood, but they eat skin flakes and chew feathers. If there’s a large population of lice living on your hen, they will cause irritation and can be so annoying that the bird will fail to thrive.

The colonies of eggs at the base of the feathers can be highly irritating to the chicken, and when they are in large numbers, even preening won’t remove them. Lice can be found on the breast, back, vent, and under the wings of birds

SYMPTOMS OF FLEAS, LICE AND MITES
Generally the symptoms of these blood sucking parasites arise from a combination of itch, irritation, discomfort and blood loss. Heavily affected chickens will display decreased egg production, irritability, malaise, restlessness, anaemia and, on occasion, death

It’s best to catch an infestation early, so monitor regularly for parasites, both on the animals and in their living quarters. Once you have identified which ectoparasite you may be dealing with, there are several control options. To inspect your chickens, look amongst the feathers against the skin, particularly around the breast, tail and vent areas.
Scaly leg mite are found on the legs (surprise!). They lift the legs scales making the whole leg look rough and scaly. A chicken might have a limp and be favouring one leg.

TREATMENT OF FLEAS, LICE AND MITES IN CHICKENS NATURALLY
Traditional pesticides are available at farm stores, but be sure to read and follow the label instructions before applying anything to your chickens! Many of us prefer a more natural treatment approach for ailments on our blocks so I have provided several natural treatment options. With natural treatments the management of these pests is best achieved using an integrated approach, using several of the options together.

When treating your coop and flock for fleas it is often necessary to repeat the process again 10 to 14 days apart. Used long term these treatments can help prevent a re-infestation.

Suped-up Dust Bath

Chickens LOVE their dust baths! Why not set up a suped-up dust bath for them to help treat parasites while they are at it? You will need one dust bath for every 10- 15 or so chickens, and put it somewhere it won’t get rained on so they can use it all year long.

You Need:
A box, tire, rubber maid tub, old jam pan or plastic paddling pool.
2 parts dry dirt/dust
1 part wood or paper ash (not coal or from burning rubbish)
1 part sand
1/2 part diatomaceous earth
Gloves and mask
Optional – dried and powdered Sage, Lavender or Rosemary

Method:
I use a small bucket as my ‘part’ measure. You may want to wear a dust mask and gloves for this next bit as it does throw a bit up into the air. Put all ingredients into your container and stir together well. That is it really, simply leave somewhere out of the rain/snow and let the chooks have at it.

Garlic
Garlic is a potent natural cure-all for many many things, including parasites! To feed chickens garlic is so easy! Simply put a couple of crushed cloves in their drinking water or some garlic powder in their dry feed to keep fleas, mites, lice, ticks and internal worms at bay.

Garlic Spray
You Need:
3 Whole bulbs of garlic
2C Water
Optional – 1 teaspoon (total) any combination of these essential oils – bay, cinnamon, clove, coriander, lavender, spearmint and/or thyme

Method:
In a food processor, whiz up the garlic until finely chopped. Add the water and pour into a large jar or bowl to seep for a day or two. Strain out the garlic by lining a sieve with a coffee filter, paper towel or double layer or butter muslin/cheese cloth. Dilute with a further 4 cups of water and add essential oils. Then pour into a pressure sprayer to spray the hen house with or a misting bottle to spray the individual hens with.

Spray your hens and hen house weekly as a preventative or every other day for three weeks in the case of an infestation. Concentrate around the vent and under the wings on the birds and cracks and perches in the house.

To treat leg mites spray the legs daily with garlic spray, using an old tooth brush to gently get it up under the scales. Smother the legs in either petroleum jelly or a similar natural alternative like a home made bee balm (we have a recipe here http://www.piwakawakavalley.com/recipe/homemade-balm/ ), Sierra Sage Green Goo or Waxelene.

Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth works because the particles in it are incredibly sharp, these sharp edges cut the bodies of parasites causing them to dehydrate.
Using food grade diatomaceous earth in a sport sock with the top tied shut is a great way of powdering it on to your birds without throwing it everywhere. Simply dab the sock on the bird’s underside while parting the feathers.
You can sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the floor of the coop and in the nesting boxes as well.

Essential Oils
You can make a spray up to use 2-3 times per week anywhere that animals are living or sleeping inside or out to help keep fleas, lice and mites away.

You need:
1/4 tsp. of Eucalyptus or Wintergreen Essential Oil
1/4tsp total of any combination of the following: bay, cinnamon, clove, coriander, lavender, spearmint and/or thyme
1 1/2 cup of water

Method:
Simply mix and spray around sleeping quarter

Labels: and fleas, Lice, Natural treatment for Mites

Happy new.year

Have a wonderful new year

WARNING SIGNS TO DETECT SICK CHICKEN

As a chicken owners and poultry farmer, there are some skill you should know in helping you to maintain healthy flock.
Luckily to make your job a bit easier, chickens like all animals have several warning signs to tell us when they are sick. In the beginning, those signs are subtle, but if you know what to look for you can save yourself and your chicken from loads of these sickness.

Warning Signs Of A Sick Chicken are :

Dull feathers with or without bald patches. This is an easy one to spot and can mean many different things. Hen pecking, external parasites, seasonal molting or illness should be first on your radar if you see lackluster feathers. A healthy and happy hen should have shiny thick feathers.
A dull comb and/or wattle. A healthy chicken will have a bright red comb and wattle. The comb and wattle are the extra skin above and below the head. If you notice the color is dull and the comb or wattle looks dried out it is time to look further. Illness, poor diet or overcrowded conditions can all lead to this so you will need to dig a little deeper.
Disinterest at feeding time. For me, one of the top warning signals with any animal is loss of appetite. Feeding time is the best time to look over your birds since they tend to stay at least somewhat still. If you have a bird off to the side or completely away from the flock you may have a sick bird. If it is warm out, check immediately for heat stress.
Coughing or raspy breathing. Although this is a late term warning sign it is not always a death sentence. I have had coughing hens before that recovered completely to return to the flock. The trick is to act fast to first save your hen and second keep any possible contagious illness from the rest of your flock.
Dirty back end. This one is easier on some birds than others. This year, I have all Black Star Hens and unless the mess is white I will miss it. In my case, I need to check my coop and run at every feeding. Yes, by inspecting my chicken’s poo I am able to catch any parasite problems before they become widespread. Runny is normal for some hens, but if it is different than normal or has an overly foul odor take note.
Hunched up Hen. If you notice one of your gals is hunched up, something is wrong. She is either in pain or sick. Usually, my hunched up hens are moving pretty slowly or not at all so they are a bit easier to spot.
More often than not when I pick up a hen with one or more of these symptoms I will see she is thin and weak. Chickens like most animals will hide when they are sick and unless you are watching daily you will miss the early warning signs.
So, what do you do if you have a hen with one or more symptom on this list? I always err on the side of caution. I have found that isolating the hen in question is the best and most effective way to keep my flock healthy.
Anything will do to house your sick gal, but if you need ideas you can ready my post What to Do If You Have a Sick Chicken to get tips. Once you have your hen away from the flock you will be able to inspect her more closely and decide on a plan of attack. Choosing between home care and calling on a vet all depends on the situation.
Watch your animals daily so you will notice any changes as soon as they happen. Catching things early can be the difference between life and death in livestock so keep your eyes open.
These skills are very important to chicken owners.

ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF DEATH

There are principally two kind of death and both of then come from the garden of Eden.
What is death ? Death is the opposite of life, the departure of life and the cassation of life. To humans, death is the separation of body, soul and spirit. They body goes to the grave and disintegrates; the spirit goes back to God, and the soul goes to one of two place: The soul of the wicked go to hell and the soul of the righteous to Paradise.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF DEATH ?
  There are principally two kind of death and both of then come from the garden of Eden.
  1. Spiritual death, which means separation from God . In the garden of Eden , Adam and Eve did not die physically immediately they ate the forbidden fruit. However they were separated from God and driven out of garden of Eden . They died spiritually.

2. Physical death, which is cassation of life also originated in Eden when God killed some animals to get skins to cover Adam and Eve. The first human to die physically was Abel, the son of Adam.
Spiritual death was caused by disobedience to God . Death is the direct result of sin. In the case of physical death, the doctor may write any one of many things on the death certificate , but the real answer is SIN. Sin is the basic cause and disease is the immediate agent that God uses to execute the sentence that was pronounced on mankind in the garden of Eden.

WHAT IS THE REMEDY FOR DEATH ?

Physical death is described in various ways in the bible , for example, it is described as : sleep (john 11:11); they requiring of the soul (Luke12:20); going to a place of no return (Job 16:22); putting off this earthly house (2Corinthians 5:1); yielding up the gost (Act 5:10).

Regardless of what modern science and doctors may achieve , we are appointed to die ( Hebrew 9:27). We are born with an appointment to meet physical death. We must keep that appointment unless the Lord return soon.
However, we can avoid spiritual death simply by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and accepting Him as our Lord and saviour. Physical death can be avoided by the rapture of the Church but if we meet our appointment with death before the Lord return, there is still hope . Christ has promised to walk with us through the experience of death ( John 14:13). If you can truthfully says, " The Lord is my shepherd," then , you can not have to fear death .