2018 Newbie Chat!

[PolishChickMama]

OMG, they are so cute! Are they girls or boys? Will def help with naming!

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Hello Everyone,
I'm still trying to figure out how to navigate this site. I just asked a question in another forum but have no idea where to find my answer, if anyone replies. UGH! Hopefully I'll figure it out. Anyhoot, when I originally posted about our 3 new Polish Laced babies, I thought we had 3 girls... turned out we had a rooster in the hen house! LOL So, had to give Ira (formerly named Irene) to a local farmer. We just finished building their run and attached their coop to it last weekend. We had a bad storm here 2 days ago and the pine shavings are wet. I've turned them in hopes they will dry soon. Any advice on the best way to get the shavings dry after a storm? Here's a few pics of Sally & Loretta's new run. If any of you see anything funky or that you know is going to cause a problem, please let me know. Appreciate all the advice anyone cares to share. Hope you all have a nice weekend.View attachment 1414600 View attachment 1414600 View attachment 1414601 View attachment 1414600 View attachment 1414601 View attachment 1414602

Hi!
So the wet shavings I assume are the ones in the run?
As long as the inside of the coop is dry it should be fine. My chickens run around on a dirt floor run, not sure what's under your shavings but I don't put any in the run. The floor of my run can get kinda waterlogged in bad storms. The chickens don't mind much, and in fact when it's hot out they love walking around in water to cool their feet. I even run a hose to get it nice and wet and cool on the floor of the run on really hot days!
I would guess they will just dry out themselves naturally as the rest of the ground outside does.

 

[Fluffy&Cutie]

My question is can the way artificially flavored peaches & strawberries and cream oatmeal? I know the sugar is bad but not sure exactly how this would work.. My Luxie is my world I would love any kind of feed back!! Thank you and I'm so glad to be apart of this community. It has helped me many times in the past, and I can't thank everyone enough..[/QUOTE]

Hi there, I think it's the natural plain oatmeal. Like Bob's Red Hill Oatmeal. Good luck.

 

[PolishChickMama]

Hi!
So the wet shavings I assume are the ones in the run?
As long as the inside of the coop is dry it should be fine. My chickens run around on a dirt floor run, not sure what's under your shavings but I don't put any in the run. The floor of my run can get kinda waterlogged in bad storms. The chickens don't mind much, and in fact when it's hot out they love walking around in water to cool their feet. I even run a hose to get it nice and wet and cool on the floor of the run on really hot days!
I would guess they will just dry out themselves naturally as the rest of the ground outside does.

Thank you very much! Yes, the run is where the pine shavings are wet - the coop itself is pretty much fine. We are going to put in a couple of underground drains to try to divert some of the water. We will ditch all the wet pine shavings that are in there now - it is still raining today so it's even worse now. Will let them just be on a dirt floor in the run and decide after the new drains are put in if we will put pine shavings back in there or not. Thanks again - I'll send an update with our progress.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

OMG, they are so cute! Are they girls or boys? Will def help with naming!

My bottle babies are all female. We plan to kid them next fall, with any hopes they’ll be making us great cheese in a couple years!

 

[CannedMonster]

Thank you very much! Yes, the run is where the pine shavings are wet - the coop itself is pretty much fine. We are going to put in a couple of underground drains to try to divert some of the water. We will ditch all the wet pine shavings that are in there now - it is still raining today so it's even worse now. Will let them just be on a dirt floor in the run and decide after the new drains are put in if we will put pine shavings back in there or not. Thanks again - I'll send an update with our progress.

There’s no need to put shavings in your run. They take a long time to break down and when you add in poop and moisture from rain it’s not a good combination.
Plus, on a plain dirt run your girls will make their own dust baths which they will really love!

 

[Doc7]

Anyone think this stuff from my driveway would be good grit for the chicks? I get my first chicks, June 4 babies, this week! It’s hard, not mud.

 

[CannedMonster]

I'm new to this forum but have a serious question to ask! I have been told many time oatmeal is wonderful for chicks and chickens alike. My question is can the way artificially flavored peaches & strawberries and cream oatmeal? I know the sugar is bad but not sure exactly how this would work.. My Luxie is my world I would love any kind of feed back!! Thank you and I'm so glad to be apart of this community. It has helped me many times in the past, and I can't thank everyone enough..

Welcome!
Please don’t feed your chickens sweetened oatmeal or other processed foods.
It’s really bad for them.
Plain oatmeal is totally fine.
In fact I feed mine rolled oats...uncooked and they love it.
You can feed them cooked oatmeal but they don’t need sweetener or flavorings.

Treats should only be about 10% of their diet.
They love uncooked grains like wheat, oats, barley, etc.
Just be sure they have access to grit if you give them whole uncooked grains.
They also love fruits and vegetables.
There’s a thread here on BYC that lists all the foods that they can safely eat and the ones that are toxic or unhealthy.
If you do a forum search for “chicken treat list” you’ll probably find it.

 

[CannedMonster]

View attachment 1416022 View attachment 1416021 Anyone think this stuff from my driveway would be good grit for the chicks? I get my first chicks, June 4 babies, this week! It’s hard, not mud.

Hello!
Is that broken asphalt?
Or is it dark colored gravel?
My only concern with driveway gravel is that there could be oil or other contamination in it. And that will kill your chicks!
Grit is very inexpensive and can be purchased at feed stores and even Amazon.
Be sure to get chick sized grit only for chicks under 8 weeks of age!

 

[CannedMonster]

Very unrelated to chickens but you guys come up with the best names! My husband and I are extending our small homestead and just purchased three Nubian bottle babies, all doelings. I need some name ideas?View attachment 1414907View attachment 1414908
On a related chicken note. I got my first four egg day two days ago so my Ameraucana are finally laying. I guess some say that they don’t start laying until six months old!!!

Girl there are hundreds of names you could give them!
I actually have a list of names I keep on the notes app on my phone.
It’s been pretty helpful.
I add names to it frequently.
You should just google “good names for goats” lol. Seriously...I did that and found some good ones for my list.

People say it takes 6 months for almost every breed except Leghorns to lay lol.
I’ve learned to start looking for them between 5-6 months old.