What do you all think?...

[Ryangibb95]

Hi everyone,

I am new to BYC also to keeping chickens,today after several weeks of research I purchased two hens,1 warren and 1 light Sussex. This post is just for all your opinions on my flock and if you can to give me good advice on keeping them thanks Ryan Gibb.

 

[sphinxface]

Welcome! Your girls look awful cute!

I'm rather new to chickens myself, but I've learned a lot since getting them.
since their arrival we have moved them twice, built them a small shelter from the rain, built a couple perches for them, got them a tub to take dust baths in, and covered the run so Hawks and Eagles can't get to them.
I just learned about regular de-worming schedules, and will be doing that soon. It's been 8 months and I'm still learning. This site is great, it's been sucking up a lot of my free time lately

Good luck with your new flock!

 

[Ryangibb95]

Thanks,they are both 20 weeks old I just got them today but have being building and researching about chickens for several weeks so far it's all good hens have settled really good just with me being really new to flock keeping I'm nervous if I'm doing stuff right or wrong..

 

[sphinxface]

From my experience it's not to hard. Another thing we've done is feed them only on a schedule to keep rats down. At least lock the food up at night.
My speckled Sussex really likes dust baths, I don't know anything about warrens but she's pretty

 

[Ryangibb95]

The guy I bought them off said he has been feeding them on wheat,but what I have ready they should be eating pellets and a health diet?

 

[sphinxface]

I think pellets are probably best, they are fortified and balanced. We suppliment with fresh fruits and veggies and treat them with scratch and meal worms (it's good to get treats, it helps you bond with them and I use it also to herd them). They will eat anything of course but I think the most ballanced is what you should strive for.

 

[sphinxface]

They also need protein, which they can get from bugs I suppose but it's probably easier to insure proper levels with the pellets.

 

[Ryangibb95]

Well they will get plenty of bugs as I've got a muddy section in the pen I built as I read up they like to roll in mud etc I've kept them on wheat but I am going to order pellets tomorrow

 

[pfields]

My chickens don't like to roll in mud. They prefer to keep their feet dry. They do like bugs and I would get good laying pellets or crumble. You'll find out which one they like best.

 

[sphinxface]

Yeah, they like dry dusty areas. My girls don't seem to mind muddy or wet feet, they will often walk straight into puddles, but they def need a dry place to have their dust bath. Good advice is to spend a lot of time with them, observe their behavior. You will get a feel for what is normal or abnormal, and from what I've gathered, every chicken is different even if it's breed is known for a certain thing- your chicken might do something else. They might find their own spots to take a dust bath, ours really like the beauty bark under the eaves of the house. I put diatomaceous earth or DE in the tub I got specifically for their dust bath to ward off mites and lice, but I've read sprinkling it in their favorite spots works too.