I just calculated how old my Dark Brahma chicks are they'll be 12 wks on Monday. I've had them on chick starter grower since they were 6 wks. I'm just changing them to grower finisher. It says on the bag for 10 to 18 wks. These chicks are getting huge. I've been putting a table spoon of ACV in their water also. They sleep in the coop but during the day they forage around the backyard. I have a large fenced in backyard they love being in. They sit out the heat of the day under my 2 big trees. I also have a big plastic water container/ bowl under the trees I refill 2 to 3 times a day, I give them some scratch and I just changed them to adult grit from chick grit. I'm really hoping I'm doing everything right. They scratch around in my compost bin area too. I haven't been dealing with the bugs like I used to with them back there which I love. I live in the south central NM desert. It's been hitting the mid to upper 90s with mid to low humidity. Not fun for us or our furred and feathered family members. Anyone have any suggestions, or ideas of what else I can do to keep them healthy and happy? They love it when I'm watering the trees because they get to grab the bugs out of the berms lol. They follow me like dogs, and play with my cats that go back there. Thank God my cats don't think of them as prey. They also like to walk around when I have the water sprinkler going for the grass in the morning. Heck they even follow the mower when we mow lol. They've been eating some plants I'm very happy about. They eat the stupid tumbleweed, and goathead plants before they get to be a problem, and the few they didn't I can pull. Prefer they didn't get to eat the ones that have stickers . I'm working on getting some more shade plants going in the backyard for them to have more shade. They also have a mind of their own lol. Zuma has decided he has to watch me, Madea won't let Mr. Meany try to get me, Chickoletta wants to be handfed, Sweetie wants the fresh stuff I bury in the compost bin, and Little Bit just wants to be left alone. They have big personality to match their big size lol. What age should I start getting eggs, and can slaughter Mr. Meany, and Little Bit? Zuma is staying but I have to think of economics. I will feel bad when I do it but they are being raised for the meat. The 3 females are for eggs, and my4 yr old told me flat out Zuma stays. He got to ddecide if we kept a cockerel or not. I've been telling him from the beginning that these chicks are being raised for us to eat, and for the eggs. Zuma has the most white on him, and is the gentlest boy out of the 3 boys. Chickoletta has always been the gentlest girl. I know I'll have to confine them when it comes time to slaughter those 2 but should I be giving them anything, or not giving them something? They're not fat birds I can tell you that. They're very muscular though. I can't wait for that first fresh egg.
