I've had my ducks on Purina Flock Raiser since the arrived. They are now 7 weeks old and no problems as of yet. To tell the truth they are twice if not 3 times the size of my Barred Rocks who are now 8 weeks old.
It's day 18 of my first try at incubating. I went the dry hatch approach with a LG with egg turner. I've candled twice and had to cull 9 all together. Just took them out of the turner and set in place now. I must say this has been a very interesting time. Had a few misques and almost cooked them...
Ditto what iamcuriositycat said. I ordered from Metzer and all of mine are fine. Though ordering atm with the heat and everything I would go with Ideal just because they are closer.
I read somewhere about you needing to have an NPIP cert to sell eggs or live chickens in the state of TX. From everything I have gathered it is free. They come out to your place and test a certain percentage or amount of your flock, depending on how many you have. I think there was a something...
If they do not have any pests on them us Vick's Vapor Rub. Just smear it on the area of the one getting pecked. You might have to re apply for a few days or so.
My girls pace around like they are trying to get to something that they just can't get. But that could just be my birds. They have yet to lay in the nesting boxes. They prefer the corner of the coop.
Maybe it's because mine are still young, but they will not lay in them. They have formed nests in them with the fake egs, but still rather make a next in the corner under the roost.
When I have one hen that is overly aggressive and starts pulling feathers out of the others I move her to a seperate pen for a few days. When she is reintroduced there is a lil squabling, but that is normal in chickens "pecking order" janinepeters talked about. Although if all of them are...
One of my hens just started laying. The first egg was small and covered with white spots. The second was a little rounder but perfect color. She skipped and day and her third was the same color just a lil bigger than the second. Waiting to see if she gives me another day!
I have turkeys and ducks as well and when I am working and cannot get home in time to feed them my mother does. With all the different breeds and ages it's easier for my mother to just use one type of food. I just don't want her to have to come over and get confused with which bag to which critter.