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Pet Costume Contest and Fundraiser

Thursday, August 29th, 2019

Oct ’19

11:00 am

Pet Costume Contest and Fundraiser UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who attended! Here is a link to access the photos from the event. https://photocoephotography.shootproof.com/gallery/10681169/

All pets (and owners) are invited to our pet costume contest and fundraiser! Join us on Saturday, October 26th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This event is held at 215 13th Street and we are so excited!

So let’s get into the details. There is a $75 prize for each costume category. These include: “scary, cute, fan favorite, and most unique” for your pets. You are welcome to dress up too. Start thinking about your outfits while you still have time! Also, there are different stations set up for the entire family to enjoy. Don’t miss out on the pig kissing booth, bobbing for biscuits, and the photo stand! The grand prize is $250 for the overall winner. Make sure that’s you!

In addition, there are special raffles, prizes, and event day specials inside the store. Did we mention there is a Yeti up for grabs? We are very happy to announce we are partnering with a local low-cost vet clinic for our pet costume contest and fundraiser. Snip-it is a non-profit spay and neuter establishment in Kissimmee that has generously agreed to help us out. For more information, visit their website here. Raffle tickets are only $1.00 and can be purchased at both stores.

As the event approaches, we are announcing special discounts and details about our raffle drawing so make sure you check back often. We hope to see you there.

Posted in Articles, Events, News & Updates, Pet | Comments Off on Pet Costume Contest and Fundraiser

Raising Free-Range Chickens

Friday, August 23rd, 2019

Consistency is important for free-range chickens. Before opening the backyard chicken coop for the day, offer a complete chicken feed like Purina^® Layena^®, Purina^® Layena^® Plus Omega-3, or Purina^® Organic crumbles or pellets. A complete chicken feed should comprise at least 90 percent of their overall diet. Make sure they eat their breakfast before foraging in the yard for dessert.

If you have free-range chickens and feed a complete feed, you do not need to offer grit. Chickens swallow food whole and break it down in the gizzard. If you feed a Purina^® complete feed, you do not need to offer grit since the ingredients in a complete feed are already ground into small enough pieces.

Chickens are a great way to help control insects and weeds while providing natural fertilizer. Be aware their foraging isn’t limited to the plants you don’t like. You may need to fence off a small area to protect your garden and flower beds. When harvest is over, you can then open the gates and let the chickens enjoy.

Birds will gain more confidence each day and start to explore new places. Start with small periods of supervised time in the garden and work up to longer periods. Train your backyard chickens to come back to the coop by offering treats and using vocal cues. Maintain a routine with how and when you let the chickens free-range.

Training birds to know specific cues will help them return to the backyard chicken coop at night or during storms and maintain a balanced diet.

Turn chicken manure into organic fertilizer

Chicken manure is an excellent source of organic fertilizer for both the lawn and garden. Manure from free-range chickens can break down naturally in the yard, providing valuable nutrients for the lawn. The correct balance for free-range chickens is about 250 square feet of space per chicken.

To use chicken manure as organic fertilizer, consider creating a compost area. This process can reduce the nitrogen levels found in raw manure.

Composting chicken manure is an earth-friendly way to turn organic residues like chicken waste, leaves or bedding into a material that can be used to fertilize the garden. After placing materials into a compost bin, microorganisms break them into natural fertilizer with the help of heat and oxygen. When maintaining compost, remember to keep it enclosed.

How backyard chickens serve as a lawn aerator

Another benefit of raising chickens in your garden is soil aeration. This is because chickens naturally scratch and dig the soil to forage for seeds and bugs. During this process, mulch and compost are spread, soil layers are mixed and the ground loosens. Most importantly, it adds oxygen to the soil and reduces the particle size.

Raising chickens in the garden comes with a sense of pride and the joy of sustainability. By having chickens in your garden, you can have an all-in-one solution for a natural weed killer, organic fertilizer, natural insecticide, and lawn aerator. And with the right nutrition, chickens can make the best companions for your garden.

Imagine if you had an all-in-one solution for a natural weed killer, organic fertilizer, natural insecticide, and lawn aerator. Many of today’s gardeners have found this solution through backyard chickens.

The combination of chickens and a garden can create a strong backyard ecosystem. Along with fresh eggs and family fun, raising chickens provides a natural and simple way to add to a backyard’s health and beauty.

Read on to learn how backyard chickens can help your garden flourish.

How to care for free-range chickens

Because chickens naturally enjoy digging, we encourage protecting delicate and new or young plants as well as those with ripening produce. In addition, if there are certain areas you’d like to keep free of chicken manure or if certain plants should be off-limits, add a fence or chicken wire. A chicken tunnel through the yard is one option. Fencing can also help ward off predators.

Additional tips to protect young plants include rotating chickens through different areas of the yard, placing stones around plant bases or creating teepee-like structures over young plants.

Use free-range chickens to control pests and kill weeds

In addition to organic fertilizer and lawn aeration, backyard chickens offer organic pest control and act as natural weed killers in your garden and lawn.

The garden and chicken combination works well because chickens love a lot of the things gardeners do not, like weeds and insects. Chickens forage for seeds and bugs making them the perfect weed and bug control pet. They also eat small plants and clean up fallen fruit and green leaves.

Since chickens love many different types of plants, you should create a diverse plant ecosystem that includes several layers of plants. Layering should include cover, lush and shade plants. Plant layers may include trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, annuals, vines, edible plants and ground cover. Well-planned plantings can provide soil stability and help filter rainwater runoff.

Considerations for cover plants are butterfly bushes, which grow fast, provide shade and are not eaten by chickens. Hawthorne has edible berries and leaves that chickens tend to avoid.

Some plants are not healthy for chickens. When it comes to toxicity, chickens will typically avoid poisonous plants. However, consider removing plants like poison ivy, boxwood, honeysuckle, nightshade, monkshood, oleander, tobacco and yew.

Want to learn more about raising backyard chickens? Download the “My First Year with Chickens” guide.

Source: Patrick Biggs, Ph.D. Nutritionist, Companion Animal Technical Solutions

Stop into Kissimmee Valley Feed for the highest quality supplies for your free-range backyard flock. We’re proud to carry Purina poultry feed products to keep your chickens healthy.

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Rabbit Workshop

Tuesday, August 20th, 2019

Sep ’19

11:00 am

Make plans to attend our hoppin’ Rabbit Workshop! This event is held on Saturday, September 7th, 2019 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Christine has prepared some great information to share with you. Whether you’re a first-time owner or you already own a few fuzzy tails, this is a great opportunity to come out and hear some new information! All ages are welcomed.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about preparing to show your rabbit in the upcoming fair season. In addition, some of the topics covered are basic care, proper feeding, tips for added nutrition, and how to maximize the potential for your project. Make sure you come prepared with a notepad and pencils! Christine is ready to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing about what makes your rabbit special and the goals you have set for this year.

Also, after the workshop, there is time for you to browse our products. We have a little bit of everything! From rabbit feed, hutches, toys, and supplies we have you covered. Did we mention we also have rabbits for sale too? We recommend calling us to confirm availability.

Planning to attend our Rabbit Workshop? RSVP below. If you have any questions, give us a call at (407) 892-4040. We can’t wait to see you!

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Sunglo Show Feed Event

Tuesday, August 20th, 2019

Aug ’19

6:30 pm

Make plans to join us for a Sunglo Show Feed Event! On Thursday, August 29, stop by the store at 6:30 for a presentation by Pete and Jeff. They are our very own Sunglo representatives and are looking forward to talking with you. They are very knowledgeable about the industry and are prepared to answer all of your questions. Don’t forget to bring a notepad and pencil so you can jot down anything new you learn!

This beef show feed clinic covers the fundamentals of preparing for the upcoming fair season. It’s important to learn as much as you can before your project begins so you can start off on the right foot…or should we say hoof. Also, feeding and nutrition are two major topics that are covered in the workshop. Understanding the important balance between the two will equip you with the tools to be successful all the way into the show ring. Pete and Jeff are also discussing how to care for the health of your steer. They take pride in educating their customers with helpful information and examples to make your outcome better. Take it from us, you do not want to miss out on this information! You have the unique opportunity to ask questions from the experts, so take advantage of that.

There will be exclusive Sunglo prizes up for grabs as well as light refreshments. So mark your calendars so you don’t forget! To RSVP for our Sunglo Show Feed Event, see below.

Posted in Articles, Cattle, Events, News & Updates | Comments Off on Sunglo Show Feed Event

Tips for Collecting Chicken Eggs

Sunday, August 18th, 2019

Whether you’re new to maintaining a backyard flock or simply have a few questions about regularly collecting chicken eggs, these tips from Purina will help you get the most out of your flock’s egg production.

The decision to refrigerate eggs or leave them on the counter should be made based on if you’ve washed your farm fresh eggs or not. Unwashed eggs have a protective layer called a cuticle and can be stored on the counter. Washing eggs removes the cuticle; therefore, washed eggs should be refrigerated to prevent contamination. Read on for more egg storage tips and FAQs about farm fresh eggs!

There’s palpable excitement when it comes to your laying hens producing their first eggs. How many eggs will be in the coop? What will they look like?

But, as eggs are produced, new questions come to mind. How often do chickens lay eggs? Why are my chickens eating eggs? Is washing chicken eggs necessary? And, do eggs need to be refrigerated?

Get answers to these frequently asked questions (and more):

How often do chickens lay eggs?

If you’re wondering, “how often do chickens lay eggs?”, you’re not alone! It’s a common question when you’re new to egg production.

You can collect about one egg per hen per day when egg production is in full swing. And, from hen to hen, egg-laying schedules vary. Some hens lay in the morning while others lay later in the day.

Whether you are eating or hatching eggs, it is important to collect eggs regularly and store them properly. Gather eggs two to three times per day, at a minimum once in the morning and evening. Collect even more often during extremely warm or cold weather. The frequent collection helps keep eggs clean and reduces the chance for egg cracking due to hen traffic in the nests.

Always discard eggs with noticeable cracks because cracks can allow bacteria to enter the egg. Cracks can also result from an inadequate diet.

Safe eggs start with strong shells. To form strong egg shells and maintain bone strength, laying hens need 4 grams of calcium each day, all of which must come from their chicken feed. Maintain egg strength and hen health by feeding a complete layer feed like Purina^® Layena^®, Purina^® Layena^® Plus Omega-3 or Purina^® Organic layer pellets or crumbles. These feeds include the Oyster Strong^® System, which provides all of the calcium laying hens need – no need to supplement.

Why are my chickens eating eggs?

Wondering how to stop chickens from eating eggs? Start by collecting chicken eggs on a regular schedule.

Egg eating generally occurs when a hen finds a broken egg, tastes it, likes it and begins searching for other broken eggs. Hens can even learn to break them intentionally. Collecting chicken eggs frequently can help prevent hens from eating their eggs.

If you notice your chickens eating eggs, first find the culprit. Look for remnants of the egg yolk on the skin and feathers around a hen’s head and beak. Consider separating the culprit hen from the flock to avoid other hens picking up the learned habit.

Here are more tips for how to help stop chickens from eating eggs:

Place ceramic eggs, wooden eggs or golf balls in the nest.
Blow out an egg and refill it with mustard. When the hen cracks into the egg, the mustard serves as a deterrent from eating other eggs.
Provide an alternative place to peck, such as a Purina^® Flock Block^® supplement.

Is washing chicken eggs necessary? Do eggs need to be refrigerated?

There are valid points for both washing and not washing chicken eggs, so it comes down to personal preference. But, you’ll have to store the eggs differently depending on which one you pick.

Unwashed eggs have a protective layer called a cuticle and can be stored on the counter. This protective coating helps keep bacteria out. Washing eggs removes the cuticle. As a result, washed eggs must be refrigerated to prevent contamination.

If you choose to go with washing chicken eggs, follow these guidelines:

Be gentle and quick, using water only. Water should be warmer than the egg.
Brush any foreign material off the shell with your finger or a soft brush.
Remove any signs of manure from the shell, since feces can harbor bacteria which can get into the egg.
Dry and cool eggs as quickly as possible and then refrigerate between 32- and 40-degrees Fahrenheit.

Refrigerated farm fresh eggs can last up to 45 to 60 days when kept at the proper temperature.

If I’m hatching eggs, how should I store them before incubating?

If you’re collecting chicken eggs and storing for incubation later, wash any foreign material off the shell and refrigerate at 55 degrees Fahrenheit with 70-75% humidity. Store eggs with the narrow end pointing down for a maximum of one week prior to incubation. The older a fertilized egg is, the less likely it is to hatch. Store eggs at an angle and change the angle once a day. This will keep the yolk from sticking to the side of the egg and help the developing embryo stay safe before hatching.

Let the eggs warm to room temperature when you’re ready to incubate. Then, give the eggs to a broody hen or place in an incubator. After eggs have been stored and incubated, 70% hatchability is considered very good.

Want strong shells? Sign up for the Feed Greatness^® Challenge and get a $5 off coupon for Purina^® layer feeds*.

*The Feed Greatness^® Challenge is a 90-day feeding trial where you will feed Purina^® feed, monitor your flock’s performance and health, take pictures and receive emails with helpful information.

Source: Purina

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