We have been running Craigslist ads, looking for people that would like to trade foods that they have for our hen's eggs. We have also been offering eggs, for alfalfa and grains to feed the chickens.
We got a response to our Eggs for Feeds ad, from a couple of locals who are producing a fantastic line of livestock feeds, and have traded some of our eggs for some of their feeds.
They really do this feed the right way, evidently they started out making feeds because they had trouble finding feeds that they wanted to feed to their livestock, wanting a feed that was closer to something they might eat themselves, and so they started making it themselves, which is of course a great way to get a thing done right.
Take a moment to check out the list of ingredients on this label of their Local Layer 17%
( Click on the yellow label to make it big enough)
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| Click to enlarge and read this label |
Now look at the Q Bar Farm's feed.
You hardly need the label, you can still see the ingredients.
This feed doesn't look like the usual "Crumbles" or "Pellets"which I always thought seemed overly processed. The Q Bar Farm mills their feeds gently so the grains are kept close to their whole natural state, this makes for much better digestion.
It was overly processed types of feeds that started us experimenting with whole seeds and grains to begin with, and started us on the seedyeggs path. But, we are not food scientists, and while we give our chickens all kinds of good things, it is good to know that there is a source where we can find feed that has been so well balanced, so we can be sure we are not missing anything.
We have now changed our hen's menu to include their Local Layer Ration.
We are including four bowls of the Q Bar feed to our this mash bucket, each day for about fifty chickens.
The weather has warmed up, and the chickens started putting on weight from eating a lot more worms in the mornings. We took out the fishmeal from the soup, and started using the Q Bar Local Layer, which will add even more variety to their diets, and includes a balanced blend of grains and seed oils, grown and processed right here in Oregon. Batches are made up when the orders come in, so their feed is always fresh.
It was overly processed types of feeds that started us experimenting with whole seeds and grains to begin with, and started us on the seedyeggs path. But, we are not food scientists, and while we give our chickens all kinds of good things, it is good to know that there is a source where we can find feed that has been so well balanced, so we can be sure we are not missing anything.
We have now changed our hen's menu to include their Local Layer Ration.
We are including four bowls of the Q Bar feed to our this mash bucket, each day for about fifty chickens.
The weather has warmed up, and the chickens started putting on weight from eating a lot more worms in the mornings. We took out the fishmeal from the soup, and started using the Q Bar Local Layer, which will add even more variety to their diets, and includes a balanced blend of grains and seed oils, grown and processed right here in Oregon. Batches are made up when the orders come in, so their feed is always fresh.
We were so impressed by Q Bar Farm's feeds that we decided to start another 21 chicks using their Chick Starter.
The most notable observations we have had, have been while watching the chicks. The chicks have been on the new starter since they arrived from the store. They seem to be a little calmer, on the Q Bar Farm chick starter and eat less franticly than chicks that we had in the past that were eating the 'beige crumbles'.
I think what we are seeing are nourished chicks eating at a relaxed pace, as opposed to hungry chicks fattening themselves up on overly processed and hard to digest mono-feed.
The food they eat seems to stay in them a little better too, It seems that they have smaller and less frequent poops, and eat up the food less quickly.
I think what we are seeing are nourished chicks eating at a relaxed pace, as opposed to hungry chicks fattening themselves up on overly processed and hard to digest mono-feed.
The food they eat seems to stay in them a little better too, It seems that they have smaller and less frequent poops, and eat up the food less quickly.
There are no fillers in these feeds and the natural structure leads to better digestion and smaller denser poops, which dry up quickly and fall to the bottom of the litter, so the pen doesn't stink. We also noticed that switching away from the "crumbles"to a more natural form of feed eliminates pasty butt in the chicks, We had about three pasty butt chicks when they arrived from the store where they were eating crumbles, but with the Q Bar feed, no pasty butts. The chicks really love this feed, we really think the variety of pickings is important for the development of the chickens, they need to pick and choose and develop the skills that they will use all their lives, especially while they are young and their brains are wiring themselves. Imagine how dull it is eating white crumbles all day, compared to this.
Do your chickens and yourselves a favor and get some of this wholesome feed, after all you are eating what they eat.
Q Bar Farm feeds are a bargain at $13.50 for a 25 lb. bag of this awesome handcrafted feed. We have been just mixing grains and seeds for our birds, to make our own scratch (it is very good scratch) it has been necessary to purchase and store a lot of 50lb bags, and we never really knew if we had it "right". Of course our birds are able to free range to make up anything we might miss. This feed is already right on. A bag or two like this should last a typical back yard flock of 5 or 6 hens about a month.
Q Bar Farm sells:
17% Local Layer
17% Lucy Diamond Poultry Developer
20% Local Broiler
22% Chick Starter
16% Hog Grower
All made from the same great local products, and only made to order, they do not pre-make any feed.
17% Lucy Diamond Poultry Developer
20% Local Broiler
22% Chick Starter
16% Hog Grower
All made from the same great local products, and only made to order, they do not pre-make any feed.
It is available at the following locations:
Naomi's Organic Farm Supply 2500 SE Tacoma St Portland 503-517-8551,
Pistils Nursery, 3811 N Mississippi Ave. Portland, Oregon 503-288-4889
and it is also sold at
KOOKOOLAN FARMS 15713 Highway 47 Yamhill, OR 503-730-7535
Bulk orders over 330 lbs. are available directly from Q Bar Farm
Thank You, Doug and Deanna, for making wholesome animal feeds to nourish us all.
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