2018 Newbie Chat!

[BBZZZZTT]

I made the 5 gal bucket feeder too! I love it. I fill it up and it lasts quite a while.

 

[llombardo]

I made the 5 gal bucket feeder too! I love it. I fill it up and it lasts quite a while.

I'm going to do this for both the ducks and chickens but I'm using a garbage can on wheels. Did you follow any particular instructions? How big is the opening? How high?

 

[BBZZZZTT]

I'm going to do this for both the ducks and chickens but I'm using a garbage can on wheels. Did you follow any particular instructions? How big is the opening? How high?

I think I used 3" PVC elbows... There was a thread on here somewhere about how to do it.
Mine are only about an inch off the bottom of the bucket but I need to put the bucket on bricks then to raise it up for the chickens.
Here it is in the background! Haha

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Speaking of food. So far I've just been feeding my chickens nutrena raiser/grower crumbles, cuz that's what the store had.
I wasn't planning on switching to layer feed, but instead want to offer oyster shell alongside an all purpose feed.
The only thing is, at the store, all I find is layer, hearty hen pellets, meatbird etc and of course the raiser grower.
So I'm not sure what I want to do. I guess I could do the hearty hen pellets. Any thoughts?
Anyone ever have trouble with pellets?

 

[Blooie]

All of my flock got either Grower or All Flock, depending on what my local feed store had and/whichever was freshest. Oyster shell in the side in a separate container on the side for the layers and everyone was happy and healthy. My flock was a mix of layers, assorted ages of chicks, roosters, layers and freeloaders. I didn’t have to buy separate foods for genders or life stages. Can’t keep ‘em all out of each other’s food anyway.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I’ve been feeding mine Grower due to the many stages of birds I have and offer oyster shells at all times, my girls have been laying just fine. My feed store carries a brand called scratch and peck that is non GMO organic and very local. If you prefer to stay on the feed you’ve been using I’d ask your local feed store if they can get it for you!

 

[CannedMonster]

I feed all my birds starter/grower at 20% protein.
Oyster shell free choice on the side.
They’re all happy, healthy and laying just fine.
I have 4 layers, an adult rooster and 7 eight week old chicks.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

They still have the raiser/grower crumbles. I just wasn't sure if that was something I could leave them on forever with oyster shell.

I don't have different life stages or roosters or anything so I could probably get away with layer, but in case someone is not laying , molting, etc, I think I prefer to let them regulate their calcium intake

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I reintroduced Gingko the Welsummer (who was previously injured from feather picking)back into the flock late last night.
I built another droppings board and roost and tonight her and hatch mate were cuddling together on it! No issues at all, I’m kinda amazed considering the luck I have!
I’m painting the new nesting boxes tonight and will throw it in with my new nest box curtains tomorrow.
Tonight I’m putting my Little’s in the broody breaker in the coop. I’ll post pictures of everything tomorrow!

 

[CannedMonster]

So there may be some major changes happening for my flock.

My friend gave me a buff bantam Cochin chick today to add to my bantam flock.
We’re both pretty sure it’s a pullet.
I think she’s about 5 or 6 weeks old maybe? She’s fully feathered but SO tiny!
I was shocked at what a bright gold color she is!
My friend brought her over in a tiny birdcage.
We put the cage down by my chicks run (which was open) so they could check each other out.
My friend let the new chick out after about 20 minutes.
(I had no plans to introduce them in this way...I was going to put her in a dog crate so they could see & not touch)

She ran right over to them because she was scared and wanted to be with other chicks but she scared the crap out of all of my chicks!
They are all so much bigger than her, even the Silkie, but they were afraid of her.
She went over to the food and started eating and things seemed to settle down.
My black NN, Agatha, ended up outside the run and kept staring at the new chick.
After another 20-30 minutes we heard a ruckus in the run and walked over to find Agatha chasing the new chick, pecking her relentlessly.
I took the new one and put her back in her birdcage so she was safe.
I put her in the coop for the night with the others but she’s still in her birdcage.
I have a dog crate that’s bigger I can keep her in until she’s integrated so she has more room.

Some other changes are that my friend is going to take Conan and Loki (Bubelah) as well as 2 of my Wyandottes and Hector!
This is so I can keep my, as yet, unnamed NN cockerel (and hopefully breed more NN ) and get more of the breeds I really wanted.
Part of the reason for this is that the Wyandottes have been aggressive with each other (several BYC members have said they’re an aggressive breed) and my new coop isn’t as large as I thought it would be. There’s no way I can keep 15 birds in there.
I’ll be keeping Red, my sex link and one Wyandotte, Pepper along with 3 NN, Frodo & my Silkie.