Feeding BOSS

[lereg15]

I tried to search for this, but I couldn't find anywhere that told me how much BOSS anybody feeds their rabbits. I was looking at the prices of it, and it seems more expensive to use than actual pellets, with the price being over $1 per lb.

So the questions are, how much BOSS do you feed your buns, and how much do you pay for it? Oh, and what's the difference between the black oil and other varieties of sunflowers?

 

[Homer]

When I give it to my Flemish Giants they get ~2 tablespoons. I get it for $.75 a pound. More of a treat unless I'm giving it to my does daily that are nursing

 

[lereg15]

I see. I was thinking they would be getting more than that. A bag should last a while then, so it would be a little better.

 

[Marinea]

I'm with Homer- more of a treat, unless for nursing does. I also give my buns some pretty regularly in the worst winter weather. The buns don't get any during summer.

A 50 pound bag at my local feed store is about $17- we feed the birds pretty much year round.

 

[lereg15]

I'm with Homer- more of a treat, unless for nursing does. I also give my buns some pretty regularly in the worst winter weather. The buns don't get any during summer.

A 50 pound bag at my local feed store is about $17- we feed the birds pretty much year round.

How much more do you feed the nursing does?

 

[the reluctant farmer]

I echo what everyone else said. When it gets cold here, I give extra, and rotate it in with other treats (pumpkin seed, sweet potatoes, sometimes a little chia seed) for my nursing does. If anyone is looking a little thin, I'll give them some then, too. (I have meat mutts for home meat production, and feed them gathered forage, some root veg & edible tree trimmings and supplemental grain, so their weight can fluctuate a bit depending on what is growing, vs. the steady, consistent diet from pellets.) I'm not giving any right now because the temps are rising, and they really pack on the fat from sunflower seeds. This is also when the stray seeds that made it into my compost start to sprout, and I transplant some of those, let them get a little height, then feed as whole seedlings as a yummy treat. Price is similar to Marinea's; when they go on sale at the end of winter if I have the room to spare I'll sometimes pick up a 50lb bag for $9 or less & keep it in my deep freeze until fall.

 

[lereg15]

So this is just a colder weather and nursing food for them then, right?

 

[Homer]

Pretty much. It's just a way to give them a little extra fat when needed. It works well with a little old fashioned oatmeal to when you have one that needs a little meat put on their bones as well.

 

[Zass]

Boss is really high in fat, so it's best used more as a supplement than a feed.

I give my nursing does a tablespoon or two if they have a large litter. The rest of the adults might get a sprinkle on top of their feed as a treat. I don't give any to kits or growing fryers.

 

[lereg15]

Pretty much. It's just a way to give them a little extra fat when needed. It works well with a little old fashioned oatmeal to when you have one that needs a little meat put on their bones as well.

Ok, cool!! How about using it in growout cages, or would they be too young then?

 

[Marinea]

If you're growing out kits for meat, I would skip the BOSS, it's fatty. Give them some oats, instead. I feed my kits a handful of oats mixed in with a big communal bowl of pellets. I don't do it every day, but 3 or 4 times a week, maybe. I also give mine greens about as often. My five week old kits got wild roses for the first time yesterday- they went bonkers for it.

 

[the reluctant farmer]

Ok, cool!! How about using it in growout cages, or would they be too young then?

I'd thought the same thing, especially feeding a pelletless diet, but it didn't work out so well. My experience has been they can pack on fat but not necessarily meat. About two years ago I'd fed my grow-outs a good bit of BOSS. The ones I processed were pretty fatty. I'd held two back for breeding stock. One didn't take at all. She looked and felt average weight by her backbone but when I processed her the internal organs were PACKED with fat. Learned that lesson the hard way. Lot of $ spent on more expensive seed that didn't increase production and probablly made them feel like crisco in a fur jacket.

 

[lereg15]

Ok, cool!! How about using it in growout cages, or would they be too young then?

I'd thought the same thing, especially feeding a pelletless diet, but it didn't work out so well. My experience has been they can pack on fat but not necessarily meat. About two years ago I'd fed my grow-outs a good bit of BOSS. The ones I processed were pretty fatty. I'd held two back for breeding stock. One didn't take at all. She looked and felt average weight by her backbone but when I processed her the internal organs were PACKED with fat. Learned that lesson the hard way. Lot of $ spent on more expensive seed that didn't increase production and probablly made them feel like crisco in a fur jacket.

Yeah, that wouldn't be good. Thanks for letting me know not to try that!! It's a ways away still, but I want to make sure!

 

[the reluctant farmer]

You're welcome. And good job asking & researching. RT folks are really helpful. I'd started before I found this forum, and other places I looked at weren't so helpful. I found most didn't discuss meat rabbits at all. Sure would have saved me some bad mistakes if I' d found these folks first!

 

[Ncrabbit]

My nursing doe goes absolutely crazy over it. Very high in fat but good for nursing does. Other than that I give the others maybe 6-7 seeds every other day. It seems to be their favorite treat.

 

[skysthelimit]

I unusually only use for nursing does like everyone said, or for my woolers. Everyone is getting 16%, which is ok for woolers, but optimum would be 18%. The BOSS makes up the difference. For me it takes the place of Calf Manna, and I get it from Walmart now for $16/ 50lb bag. I've had woolers refuse their portion of BOSS. Seems they know when they need it. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:51 am __________ <br /><br /> One of the things I love about BOSS, it's great for sprouts. It sprouts readily, in the drop pans.

I now have several patches of sunflowers that have come up for the last three years, from seeds in the pans. i collect the seeds and sow them again in the fall.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I use BOSS in what I call my "mommy mix". 1 part flax seed, 2 parts BOSS, and 3 parts old fashioned oatmeal.

I feed it only to nursing does and then only for the first week or two depending on the size of the litter.

I feed it in addition to their normal ration of pellets.

I feed it in a separate container so the don't get into the digging for gold thing in their regular pellets.

The day of kindling, they get a full cat-food can of the stuff. After that, only a half cat-food can. (you know, those little cans like cat food and tuna fish come in - not real scientific but it's what we've used for years and it don't have to be fancy)

Over the years, I'm convinced that it makes a big and positive difference. Good luck to you!