What feed do you reccommend I get and why?

[TeaChick]

I have 3 red sex link hens 1 year old. I feed them purina layer feed. I have heard that I should give them some crushed oyster shells. If so what type and do you mix it with there pellets? My girls look healthy and I get 3 eggs. A day. Help!,

I don't know anything about oyster shells; I'm sure someone on here can help you with that.

I rinse, boil, then dry egg shells, then I grind them in my blender, then mix that into their food.

I had a hen who was sick, she laid me a soft shell egg; I mixed a couple of egg shells into her food the next morning and that evening, she laid me a perfect egg, shell and all. =D
If you're not getting shell-less eggs, you probably don't have to worry about calcium; you might want to offer it free-choice.

 

[jlf1]

I only have one right now.....started out with 7 but due to predators and Marek's, I have one lonely chick. I do have 2 more coming from McMurray's this week that will be about her age, so I am hoping that will also help.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I have 3 red sex link hens 1 year old. I feed them purina layer feed. I have heard that I should give them some crushed oyster shells. If so what type and do you mix it with there pellets? My girls look healthy and I get 3 eggs. A day. Help!,

I just throw the crushed oyster shells right on the ground. some people use a separate feeder for them. They will eat when they need it! Another great idea is to recycle your egg shells, just crush them up and give to your girls and watch them go nuts!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

A brood hen might save you on the brooder.

I have a Buff Orp that I plan on letting hatch some in the spring, she would probably set now if I let her LOL

I want to order some eggs from a lady here on BYC. I plan to breed and sell so an incubator is something that will pay for itself!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I only have one right now.....started out with 7 but due to predators and Marek's, I have one lonely chick. I do have 2 more coming from McMurray's this week that will be about her age, so I am hoping that will also help

If you have had Mareks you probably want to wait a while to introduce the new babies! Did you vaccinate? Also your lonely girl will take time to get used to the new invaders!

 

[TammyTX]

The most expensive foods I've ever purchased were the ones my chickens didn't eat.

I like not worrying about their "complete" nutrition but I have been intrigued by the thought of mixing my own. So far I've thought of doing a half mixed/half pellet thing....I've also thought about doing a fermented feed, but it smells like pig slop.

We put oyster shell in a rabbit feeder but my chickens are not that interested in it. I guess they don't have a need for much extra calcium. Someone mentioned feeding egg shells and I do that too in the Spring when we have an egg surplus, only I boil and chop the entire egg and feed it back to them.

We have 34 chickens and have owned chickens for about 15 years There have been very few health issues come up. Very few. Twelve of my chickens are five years old and although I had a scare today with my Marans roo, all are very healthy...the roo was fine.

Welcome the couple of Newbies I saw post!!

 

[TeaChick]

I only have one right now.....started out with 7 but due to predators and Marek's, I have one lonely chick. I do have 2 more coming from McMurray's this week that will be about her age, so I am hoping that will also help.

Oh, wow! I'm so sorry!!!
I'm glad she has friends coming and you'll have more chickens soon. =)
I like watching mine peck around the yard.

 

[TeaChick]

I have a Buff Orp that I plan on letting hatch some in the spring, she would probably set now if I let her LOL

I want to order some eggs from a lady here on BYC. I plan to breed and sell so an incubator is something that will pay for itself!

Oh, I like the idea of a BO! I have a brood hen right now, so that's something that will have to wait. I do have gold Comets, but IDK whether any of them might go broody.

If you don't mind my asking, what kind(s) are you getting?

I like it when things pay for themselves. ;-)

 

[jlf1]

This is about the coolest thing I've done----has relaxed me immensely, despite the agony over the deaths.

 

[jlf1]

The ones coming in have been vaccinated, I figure that I will do a slow introduction. I know that Chell will always be a carrier and will always have a chance to succumb, but I I am going to try to keep everything very disinfected to give everyone a fighting chance