Around the Jewish Year

The chicks I raise eat only a specific type of food—a hand-feeding formula powder designed for chicks. This mixture contains, among other ingredients, ground grains from the five species of grain, along with additional components. It is mixed with lukewarm water to form a porridge, which is then fed to the chicks.

What is the halachic status during Pesach?

On one hand, this is a chametz mixture prepared before Pesach; the chametz is not recognizable and seems not to be fit for human consumption. On the other hand, feeding the chicks provides benefit to their owner, which may be considered deriving benefit from chametz.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no such formula available that is certified kosher for Pesach.

Is it permissible to feed them during Pesach? If not, would it help to include both the formula and the chicks in the sale of chametz, and then feed them as one caring for a non-Jew’s animals—and, if the non-Jew does not ultimately buy them, to repurchase them along with the chametz after Pesach?

Thank you very much.

Question

Hello Rabbi, Happy Chanukah!I would appreciate guidance on a somewhat complex halachic question.

I harvested 100 kg of olives for oil production:

• 80 kg of them were hefker (ownerless),
• 20 kg belonged to someone who gave me permission to harvest them.

When I arrived at the olive press, I was told this was too small a quantity to process alone, so I waited for someone to join me. Another person arrived with 50 kg of olives, and oil was produced from a total of 150 kg. We then divided the oil according to the percentage each of us contributed.

A. Of the oil that I received, from how many kilograms must I separate terumot and ma'aserot — from 150, 100, or 20?

B. Do I need to coordinate with the other person whose oil was mixed with mine? I understand there may be an issue of bilah belach, that liquids mix.

Is it permissible to weave a mat from the lulav leaflets or, alternatively, to throw the lulav away in the garbage? Similarly, would it be permissible to build furniture from planks used to place sechach on?

I see that it says on all the etrog boxes “not grafted.” What exactly does that mean?

Can I sell products containing wheat protein (like soluble soup mix) together with the chametz?

I just bought some flower seeds, and I was wondering if I'm allowed to plant them now. I looked at the Shulchan Aruch and I wasn't quite sure I understood what it meant that you're not allowed to plant "a king's garden." 

Whoever sees especially beautiful creations recites the blessing shekacha lo ba'olamo; "Who has such things in His world."
Whoever goes out to fields or gardens in the days of Nissan and sees trees blossoming and budding recites birkat ha'ilanot, the blessing for the trees: "Blessed … who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy.'"  What is the difference between both blessings?

Can one say birkat ha’ilanot on trees grafted in a forbidden fashion?

I have blueberries growing in a planter in my garden. Last year, I was told I need to count orlah years for it, which seems to make it a tree. If it has flowers, can I count it as one of the trees for birkat ha'ilanot?

Can we say birkat ha'ilanot on a tree with buds that resemble white balls, whose petals have not opened yet, or is it necessary to see the petals of the flowers? We have an orange tree in this state now.