joshg7308
Hatching
I'm two weeks into my first experience with chickens. I have three RIR and 3 Silkies (roughly 4-5 weeks old) that seem to be enjoying their new digs in my chicken tractor. So far they have consumed about a quarter of the 50 lb bag of blue seal chicken feed. They are doing exactly what I want in terms of foraging. They are supplementing their diet with various bugs in the yard, clover flowers, marigolds. and dandelions.
I think I may have two roosters with the RIR's and I honestly can't make heads or tails of the silkies. If I had to wager a guess though, I would say I have two hens and maybe a silkie roo
The flock is formed and pecking order is established for the most part but the RIR's and silkies keep to themselves and only interact when food is involved. The RIR's seem to be the dominant ones and the silkies seem to be fine with this. I'll be interested in maybe changing the numbers of roosters as I don't think the 3 roos will get along well as they grow. I plan on selling at least one of the RIR roos, so if anyone is interested, I'm all ears. I will then try an add an americauna or EE hen to the mix and also add another couple of silkie hens.
I enjoy taking care of them in the morning and evenings as I have to open the hatch of the coop to let them out in the am and I have to get the silkies into the coop at night sometimes as they tend to huddle together at the corner of the run at night, however they have made their way into the coop at night on their own quite a few times.
As for the chicken tractor, I couldn't be more pleased. I leave them in a particular spot for approximately 3-4 days and then move them to a new and fresh spot in the yard. They seem to like the variety of landscape and are happily eating up the unwanted bugs in the yard which includes beetles, ants, ticks, and whatever else they can find. I love watching them chase them down their prizes.
Today they are enjoying their second yogurt party! They gobble it down fast and I have to put out three cups to keep them from fighting over it I also plan on starting a mealworm farm to supplement their diet. I hear they really go nuts for them so I'll pick some up later today at a feed store and try and order a batch online to get things started.
I'm going to try and get some pics uploaded later today as the mobile phone function doesn't seem to be working properly. I wonder if I may have missed something when I set up the BYC account. TTYL
I think I may have two roosters with the RIR's and I honestly can't make heads or tails of the silkies. If I had to wager a guess though, I would say I have two hens and maybe a silkie roo
The flock is formed and pecking order is established for the most part but the RIR's and silkies keep to themselves and only interact when food is involved. The RIR's seem to be the dominant ones and the silkies seem to be fine with this. I'll be interested in maybe changing the numbers of roosters as I don't think the 3 roos will get along well as they grow. I plan on selling at least one of the RIR roos, so if anyone is interested, I'm all ears. I will then try an add an americauna or EE hen to the mix and also add another couple of silkie hens.
I enjoy taking care of them in the morning and evenings as I have to open the hatch of the coop to let them out in the am and I have to get the silkies into the coop at night sometimes as they tend to huddle together at the corner of the run at night, however they have made their way into the coop at night on their own quite a few times.
As for the chicken tractor, I couldn't be more pleased. I leave them in a particular spot for approximately 3-4 days and then move them to a new and fresh spot in the yard. They seem to like the variety of landscape and are happily eating up the unwanted bugs in the yard which includes beetles, ants, ticks, and whatever else they can find. I love watching them chase them down their prizes.
Today they are enjoying their second yogurt party! They gobble it down fast and I have to put out three cups to keep them from fighting over it
I also plan on starting a mealworm farm to supplement their diet. I hear they really go nuts for them so I'll pick some up later today at a feed store and try and order a batch online to get things started.I'm going to try and get some pics uploaded later today as the mobile phone function doesn't seem to be working properly. I wonder if I may have missed something when I set up the BYC account. TTYL
