Homesteading and Hobby Farm/Ranch

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lurkingdirk

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I always have a dozen on the go, different ages, so I'm harvesting a couple every couple of weeks. Keeps us with plenty of chicken to eat for our tastes. I have four spaces for them to keep the ages separate. The older ones tend to pick on the younger ones.
 
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BrutulTM

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How do you store the feed without it going bad? & Id assume this is for lots of birds?

We have 13 hens and 2 roosters. Looking into this option. But we've had a 50lb bag of feed go bad so I'm sure not their consumption would be fast enough.
We just store it in a shop on a pallet. As long as it stays dry it shouldn't mold. I would think twice about buying that much feed for 15 birds but they will probably make you a smaller batch too.

images
 
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Sludig

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We just store it in a shop on a pallet. As long as it stays dry it shouldn't mold. I would think twice about buying that much feed for 15 birds but they will probably make you a smaller batch too.

images
I mean if it will last a whole year, something like that is what I'd put in my shop for 25 birds and last a year? Take out 5g buckets at a time closer to where I feed from. Especially as I got an emu that's going to eat a couple lbs a day.

Little ol F150 don't think it'd like that in the bed, or at least no way for me to unload at home though. Have to see if any of them deliver
 
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Locnar

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I'm just shocked at how much feed in general has gone up in prices. I'm spending on average 200 a week on feed/hay.

Question: I've been selling animals for 20 years now (hard to even believe my eyes as I type that, how time flys) and I've always used Craigslist mostly to advertise. Recently started to use a farm page on facebook and I also post notes on the community boards of the local feed stores (which don't do much). Oh, I also post some on various facebook groups dedicated to the particular animal I'm trying to sell. I also hit up the in person auctions occasionally when I feel stuck with animals too long that I want to move.

What other options do people use? I'm seriously considering more social media shit like (which I don't even currently have) instagram and youtube etc to get exposure. Does that shit work or is it vanity? "social media" is the final frontier I can think of, but ive never been into it.
 
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Burns

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I mean if it will last a whole year, something like that is what I'd put in my shop for 25 birds and last a year? Take out 5g buckets at a time closer to where I feed from. Especially as I got an emu that's going to eat a couple lbs a day.

Little ol F150 don't think it'd like that in the bed, or at least no way for me to unload at home though. Have to see if any of them deliver
You may need to order around what your equipment can handle. I wouldn't think bird feed would be that heavy, a half of a pallet (bag) of feed shouldn't weigh more than a ton or ton and a half? There are various hoist options that can lift that; as long as the bags are designed for such. If you have a steel beam barn, you may be able to wield up a hoist point inside (probably best to consult an engineer for where best to do this).

Obviously this is way more than you would want to spend, but just an example of 6 tons, in a bag, being lifted by an independent heavy duty hoist:
T6-Bulk-Bag-Unloader-Step-2-Lift-Bag-Up-sq-IDX.png

I'm just shocked at how much feed in general has gone up in prices. I'm spending on average 200 a week on feed/hay.
That is strange, when there should be a glut of feed due to the reported bird flu killing off huge swaths of various flocks?
 
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Sludig

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You may need to order around what your equipment can handle. I wouldn't think bird feed would be that heavy, a half of a pallet (bag) of feed shouldn't weigh more than a ton or ton and a half? There are various hoist options that can lift that; as long as the bags are designed for such. If you have a steel beam barn, you may be able to wield up a hoist point inside (probably best to consult an engineer for where best to do this).

Obviously this is way more than you would want to spend, but just an example of 6 tons, in a bag, being lifted by an independent heavy duty hoist:
T6-Bulk-Bag-Unloader-Step-2-Lift-Bag-Up-sq-IDX.png


That is strange, when there should be a glut of feed due to the reported bird flu killing off huge swaths of various flocks?
Yeah, I'm still a city slicker with a 5 acre hobby farm. Wood joist shop. Heck had to borrow a come along trying to get my fence up the whole property line.
 

BrutulTM

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I mean if it will last a whole year, something like that is what I'd put in my shop for 25 birds and last a year? Take out 5g buckets at a time closer to where I feed from. Especially as I got an emu that's going to eat a couple lbs a day.

Little ol F150 don't think it'd like that in the bed, or at least no way for me to unload at home though. Have to see if any of them deliver
Yeah I'm guessing it would last a year for that many birds. I've put them in an F-150, it squats it down a bit :). Unloading at home is an issue. We use the skid steer. You can bucket it from one bag to another but that's a hassle.
 

Gavinmad

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That is strange, when there should be a glut of feed due to the reported bird flu killing off huge swaths of various flocks?
A 6% national loss is significant but not something that I would expect to radically lower the price of feed, especially in the face of skyrocketing transportation costs.
 
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Locnar

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You may need to order around what your equipment can handle. I wouldn't think bird feed would be that heavy, a half of a pallet (bag) of feed shouldn't weigh more than a ton or ton and a half? There are various hoist options that can lift that; as long as the bags are designed for such. If you have a steel beam barn, you may be able to wield up a hoist point inside (probably best to consult an engineer for where best to do this).

Obviously this is way more than you would want to spend, but just an example of 6 tons, in a bag, being lifted by an independent heavy duty hoist:
T6-Bulk-Bag-Unloader-Step-2-Lift-Bag-Up-sq-IDX.png


That is strange, when there should be a glut of feed due to the reported bird flu killing off huge swaths of various flocks?
All feed is up a good 20 to 40 percent of what it was 2 years ago. 50lbs Purina rabbit complete (alfalfa based , I feed it to ratites and capybaras) went from 18 a bag to 24 or more. Chicken food from 13 to 17ish , etc
 

Sludig

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All feed is up a good 20 to 40 percent of what it was 2 years ago. 50lbs Purina rabbit complete (alfalfa based , I feed it to ratites and capybaras) went from 18 a bag to 24 or more. Chicken food from 13 to 17ish , etc
What country/ state? Just got an emu. Read all kinds on conflicting on options for feed from dog and deer to maturity has a ratite blend but it's often out of stock on chewy. would rather get a Gaylord custom mixed at a local mill but never done it before. Usually research to death but kinda winging it with a 2 year old female and if this year goes well start on getting a gang started. Though kinda doubt I can make them cost neutral via eggs, and more skittish about trying to breed a bunch when I envisioned maybe up to 6 on 5 acres.
 

Locnar

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What country/ state? Just got an emu. Read all kinds on conflicting on options for feed from dog and deer to maturity has a ratite blend but it's often out of stock on chewy. would rather get a Gaylord custom mixed at a local mill but never done it before. Usually research to death but kinda winging it with a 2 year old female and if this year goes well start on getting a gang started. Though kinda doubt I can make them cost neutral via eggs, and more skittish about trying to breed a bunch when I envisioned maybe up to 6 on 5 acres.

Florida. Feed the emus 2/3rds layer pellet and 1/3rd alfalfa based rabbit pellet. Top dress with a little catfish/sportfish food into breeding season to add some extra ummph. Thats all ive done for many years. And whatever treats/scraps you want to give them that you'd give to a chicken.
 
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Sludig

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Florida. Feed the emus 2/3rds layer pellet and 1/3rd alfalfa based rabbit pellet. Top dress with a little catfish/sportfish food into breeding season to add some extra ummph. Thats all ive done for many years. And whatever treats/scraps you want to give them that you'd give to a chicken.
chicken layer or ratite layer?
 

Kiroy

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this remind me, remember when emu's we're going to be the new turkey like two decades ago - like people we're really trying to push it
 
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Goatface

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this remind me, remember when emu's we're going to be the new turkey like two decades ago - like people we're really trying to push it
i forgot about that. during the 90's spent a lot of time driving I81 through VA, there was farm to the side of the road with about 50 of them. it was always a wtf moment passing them.
 

BrutulTM

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this remind me, remember when emu's we're going to be the new turkey like two decades ago - like people we're really trying to push it

Ostriches too. People were starting to farm them until they found out that the only market for them was selling them to other suckers that thought they were going to be ostrich farmers.