No Sussex. I don’t know who laid that egg. I have 11 hens, but am not sure who is laying what. I have a black sex-link, a California tan, a Calico princess, a Wyandotte, a cream legbar, an olive egger, a red star, a starlight green egger, a buff Orpington, a barred rock, and an Easter egger.
Okay, I did get that part, I just wasn’t clear if they were saying there might be a problem with getting fewer calories.
Seems like either free-ranging or supplying regular grains, fruits and veggies is the way to go with chickens. Fortunately where I live, we don’t get a lot of snow and (and...
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I read the whole article and for the life of me can’t decide if they are saying the tension between getting micronutrients and calories with unprocessed foods is a problem or beneficial.
My run is only 120 SF but even so it took a LOT of HC to cover the sides, roof, and make an apron. Plus a second layer of welded wire around the bottom three feet. But I was committed to the open coop idea.
Oh for sure - in a heart beat. In fact, I had to rig up a locking system for the metal trashcan I keep my extra feed in after a raccoon got into it in the shed. But my treadle feeder is in a completely predator-proofed run. Since I have an open coop, the run had to be as secure as the coop.
I have a treadle feeder under a little shelter that blocks it from the top and sides. Remarkably, there is virtually no waste - I never see feed on the ground. About 4 of them at a time can eat from it, and they are constantly changing places, so lots of clanging of the lid!
I don't want to use layer feed because the rooster also eats from that feeder and he doesn't need to calcium. I put eggshells and oyster shell on the side, which he ignores. I know I could use all flock instead, but this is the same price and they really like it. And I have to use the crumbles...
I feed mine a chick starter that is 20% protein. Any snacks are fruit, veggies, some seeds, and BSF larva. I’ve watched them catch frogs and voles when they are free-ranging so they also know how to get more protein in their diet.
I free feed, but have a treadle feeder so no sign of rats (yet). Plus the run is totally encased in hardware cloth, including an 18” apron. I let them free range at least a few hours every day and will increase that time when the daylight lengthens.
I'm assuming it's tall enough to hold two layers? Seems like that could work, but then the issues is how much chicken-to-overall space will you have in there?
Also just a note about terminology - you're actually talking about deep bedding rather than deep litter. Deep litter is a composting...
Seven months later, my girls still use their dust bath, but they definitely prefer making their own out and about. Today, I had a heck of a time getting one of the hens out from under the porch, one of their favorite spa day locations.
Phil has only a 35% accuracy rate. But when has winter ever stopped right after the beginning of February? Seems like every year it’s either going to be 6 more weeks of winter or 6 weeks until the “early spring.”