A tip for the breeding loft

david sent you pms

yes ian, got them..............just typing your reply out.

Fred before i saw any differance the salt lick had been down 3-4 days, carnt say i saw the birds over indulging in it, and dident see any more intake of water than usual, the dropping around the bowl were firmer and as i clean out twice a day, it made this job easier so this one is in my dairy for next year
Ken

Thanks for that Ken

Ken used salt blocks a few years ago and they worked well, did'nt have any problems with birds

But never used pure salt always the blocks

An old fancier Billy O'Neil of Dudley Port always had salt blocks in the loft during the breeding season

Martyn watched a programme about moneys (baboons) and water in africa and a tribal man catched the monkey, placed it in a cage and feed it salt, which the monkey eat all of it very fast

the next day the man placed a lead on the monkey and the monkey lead the man to were there was a secret place were water was

Don that is what i have and following Freds instructions i am very pleased with the results, if members give out usefull and tried and tested tips u have to give them a try, or u stand still, i have a book full of lttle tips i have been given or read about, information u cannot buy
Ken

right fred,like i said this salt lick i tried it in two ends in my stock,well i had a hen a good one as well died last night,i asked a good friend of mine about these and he told me that the hen might have gorged it s self on it ,this could be why she died too much salt.this was the end i know that where pecking it..anyway i have took it out just in case this was the reason as i,m not taking any more chances with it and i,m just letting you know just in case it happens to you,just be carefull

Hi Ray

Sorry to hear about your hen, I honestly don't think it was the salt lick, I've been using it for over 30 years without a problem, I can understand you putting it down to this, but I would not, I don't think they can gorge on the block as they only get a minute bit off of it, that's why I don't use a pot of salt.

i know what you are saying fred ,but i,m not taking any chances just in case,it was probably not that but i,ve never had a 4 year old die on me like this ,so you can understand why i,ve taken it out for now.i will see what happens in the next few weeks with it out,hopefully it will be ok

I don't blame you one bit, I'd be concerned as well, but as I said before, my dad swore by it, my father in law also,

Ray sorry for reading that you lost one of your good hen, but can not see the salt block doing anything but you are right to take it out just to see what happens over the next few weeks

Ken do the same myself have 3 A4 folders full of articles which i have collected over the years with different types of information

sorry to here about hen ray thought she might have pulled thro

Ken great minds think alike

i keep everything wrote down in books for every year but methods change so you cant look too much into them, but they are there for reference

Yes your right but it is always goodto have a reference to look back at if anything crops up

thanks fred i can make a report know on the salt lick.
the birds have been going down to it on a regular basis.
it being hard they can only get small bits off.
all the nests up till know the droppings are round as a button.
the the youngsters look healthy. i can only go by my on findings but up till know i am happy with them.
tried the seeds in the nest at 17 days the youngsters watched there parents picking up the peas and next day the youngsters were doing the same.
thanks fred good tips.
i can only go by my on findings thanks.

Thanks for the info John, yes your right, you can only go on what you see

ATB

Fred

stormqueen wrote:

thanks fred i can make a report know on the salt lick.
the birds have been going down to it on a regular basis.
it being hard they can only get small bits off.
all the nests up till know the droppings are round as a button.
the the youngsters look healthy. i can only go by my on findings but up till know i am happy with them.
tried the seeds in the nest at 17 days the youngsters watched there parents picking up the peas and next day the youngsters were doing the same.
thanks fred good tips.
i can only go by my on findings thanks.

good to see some of freds tips are working for members, i forgot about the seed in the bowl but will try remember for the next ones....

it works david

Always had pots of food in the nest boxes so the young can watch the parents

Yes it does work

it;s the same with us DON
there is always a pot in the nest box.
but what i noticed with a small cap of breeding mix drop into the nest the hen came over to it and the young was so close to the hen when she was picking it up they started to pick the seed up.

havnt been on for a week or two but would just like to say i tried the salt lick and within a couple of days the birds droppings were spot on, younguns looked healthier too,so thanks for the tip fred and ill be doing the same next year mate.