Welcome to the home of Superior Chicks, also known as Nics Superior Chicks.
Fall, 2009
We have a lovely small cottage type home on the cliffs of Washburn Wisconsin, on the Shores of Lake Superior. We just completed a metal roofed 12x30' run for our small flock of 5 Buff Orpingtons. The coop...
I got my big red heated square one at:
www.snowcountrypets.com
My girls always drink out of open containers, and the design of this square one is perfect for an out of the way corner. Raise it up on concrete pavers/blocks to the level of the hens back. Stays very clean and works great.
I...
I raise only Buff Orpingtons.
IME I have had them lay from 20-23 weeks. My current flock, two girls started at 20 weeks exactly, and 3 are not laying yet at 22 weeks.
I've never had them start later than 23 weeks though.
Right from the start they are always beautiful strong brown eggs, and...
I have been doing business with Farm-Tek for a long time. In my opinion they are the best. Yes, some items may be a bit higher but I don't mind paying a little more for the great customer service and always available advice they offer.
Getting their catalog in the mail is almost as exciting as...
Do it the natural way.
Feed them pumpkin seeds (whole). They LOVE them and its a natural dewormer.
They also love the pumpkin. Cut one in half, give it to them, get out of the way!
This is the perfect season right now, lots of pumpkins coming on the market. I wait until AFTER Halloween and...
I would sell them, or, feed them right back to the chickens for extra protein. Hard boil them, chop them up and get out of the way! They LOVE chopped hard boiled eggs!
I'm probably the only one I know that actually BUYS eggs for her chickens! For when they are chicks and for a special treat ...
I'm feeling very fortunate as I pay only $11.00 per 50# bag of Layena.
I asked about ordering the Layena with the 20% protein and he said yes it can be done. The only drawback is that he may have to order a minimum of 40 bags. He's calling them and will let me know. So it appears we can get...
I AM an old chicken farmer and I have never heard of such nonsense.
I have never heard of a chicken going blind from too much protein after point of lay. Then on the other hand he tells you if you want them to lay all the time to GIVE them HIGHER protein?
I'm confused...........does he want...
I am picking up my special ordered bag of the same tomorrow.
I have certain requirements:
The hens must LIKE it!
It must have all the required nutrients.
I am concerned with the 16% protein amount. So I am planning on getting a bag of Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein) and mixing the two...
Not to worry.
I had 36 nest boxes and they used just 2!
Eee gads, it was like a waiting line at a womens bathroom. They lined up and waited their turns..................it was too funny.
No, it is not harmful at all. Just keep them clean.
Ma
The only thing I would add, is to make the switch slowly, NOT all at once. My girls are 19 weeks and I'm starting to switch them over to layer this week. I do 80%/20%, 60/40, 50/50 and so on until they are all switched over. It takes a couple of weeks, and is better for them.
HTH
Ma
I feed starter/grower up to age 20 weeks, unless they start to lay sooner. But even if no eggs by 20 weeks, I gradually start to switch them over to layer. I begin with a ratio of 90%/10%, 80/20, 70/30 and so on until they are completely switched. I believe this process, although it takes about...
I use a 1 1/2 gallon big red square plastic heated dog bowl. My chickens are used to drinking out of open containers, which they actually prefer. Set it up on blocks in a corner and it is teriffic space saver, because of the square design. Super easy to clean and less mess...
The shavings with poop in it goes to the compost pile.
The manure from the droppings boards, pure, clean (no shavings), goes into a plastic bag that the 50 lbs of feed comes in. This pure manure is allowed to age for 4-6 months (over the fall and winter) and then handfulls go directly into...
I had this exact problem until I put a light in the coop that comes on 1 hour before dusk. Now they all file in like little soilders.
All I do now is go out and turn off the light and close the doors., say goodnight. Listen by their windows for awhile to their purring and...
Pasta of any kind, we usually go with the tiny elbows. Serve it warm as a pre-bedtime snack, they LOVE it. Plus it is loaded with carbohydrates to crank up their heating systems for the cold night ahead.
I usually make up a whole package and keep it in the fridge, take out what I need, and zap...
It, like everything, depends on your situation and geographical conditions.
Here, on Lake Superior, where winters can last 6 months (or more ) we keep our food in the coop 24/7/365. Water is provided both in and outside the coop. (Except during winter when it's only inside.)
I want my girls to...