The Poultry Keeper

alison · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 28 Location: whitstable, kent

Has anyone out there got any recipes for a warm mash for these cold days? I normally just mix hot water with layers mash, for the first few mornings the girls loved it but have tired of it like they do everything else apart from noodles! Anyway if any of you have any ideas I would be most grateful. Thanks

CP · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:08 pm Post subject:

I mix hot water with bread, porridge oats, natural yogurt, any other left over veg, especially rice or potato. I also add mixed corn, sometimes wild bird seed & cake crumbs if there's any left!

My lot usually go mad for it! Very Happy

stephen · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:48 pm Post subject:

We just give ours a scoop of poultry mash, a sprinkle of poultry spice and a dash of linseed oil. Mixed to the consistency of slightly underthickened white sauce. It goes in minutes Smile

NannyP · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:17 pm Post subject:

Is that what you got for Christmas Steph, a guitar and a skateboard??
Very Happy

stephen · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:35 pm Post subject:

No, I got a set of speakers for my iPod Nano

I've never had a skateboard. I did briefly have a guitar, but the most I learnt to play was "Blowing in the Wind".

fluffly_fifer · Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 411 Location: Fife, Scotland

My chooks actually have a bowl of porridge in the morning or leftover mashed potato warmed up.
Old recipe that my gran used in WWII for feeding chickens was boiling the potato peels (reserve some of the water used for boiling), add crushed eggshells, some corn (or I'd add pellets or mash) & giving them it. Cop out clause I've not tried my Gran's recipe for my chooks but my mum says she recalls them going wild for it. Embarassed

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:21 am Post subject:

I think it helps to feed them a bit more high calorie food at this time of year if possible. AFAIK when its really cold they need to use more of the energy from their food for keeping warm. And the days are shorter so they spend less time eating. So its more of a warming feed, rather than a warm feed per se. I think a lot of books say to feed more corn than wheat in winter, as scratch, on the same grounds...

Mine get sunflower seeds, a dash of oil etc in their mash. Plus a variety of whatever appropriate left overs are in the kitchen.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7344 Location: isle of lewis

i use the old war time receipe we use our potatoe peeling and next door gives us theirs ,put an couple of egg shells in the bottom of the oven haven't done this bit for a while and then crush them in a malter and pestle (this was my favorite bit as a child) Cool

.then use the water from boiling potatoes to make up the mash they get it now and again with a little extra corn in the evening ,they love it Very Happy

,
suz

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:53 am Post subject:

I tried re-using the egg shells. It seemed the ideal way to recycle the calcium to me. But my lot didn't seem to like it when I gave them mash with the ground up egg shells in it. But I did grind them very fine, almost to a powder. How big were the bits of egg shell you fed? Just wondering now if it should have been more the size of grit instead of powder? Perhaps I'll try again...

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7344 Location: isle of lewis

it was like a powder ,although my auntie used to leave it about grit size ,we only give them about 1 or 2 to 3 scoops of mash and spud peelings so i dont think they can really taste it don't do it very often as i worry i might be overdosing on calcuim ,although you've just made me think my hens have just started egg eatting Evil or Very Mad

i wonder if they need a little extra calcium as haven't done it for ages Embarassed

suz

alison · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 28 Location: whitstable, kent

Sorry I've taken so long to answer, busy looking after the girls! Thank you so much for all the ideas I knew you would all have favorites. I haven't posted very much on the forum to date but just love reading it and picking up great tips and I've noticed my trips to the library are less frequent since finding this forum.

Thanks again and a very happy new year from me and my girls to you and yours.

Heather · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 1:02 pm Post subject: