So I got 21, 4 week old red sex links. they have this huge brooder/cage thing my husband built. Its huge so they have tons of room, lots of roosting area and plenty to run around happily. The weather here in this part of northern ontario canada has been crazy. Down pours in the morning then super hot and then the temps plummet to the point I have to turn the heat on in the house. A friend of mine got chicks the same day as me, she placed her chicks out in their run/coop at 1 week old. she has already lost several of them because of the cold before she decided to give them some heat. with the crazy temps I am reluctant to put them in their coop. It is not 100 percent finished and the heat lamps have not been installed as of yet because we need to have an electrician rerun a couple heavy duty wires that we noticed were not hooked up properly. So that won't be for another week or so.
Am I causing any damage in not having them out already?
I try my best to provide them with all of their needs. the cage has a 4 inch border all the way around so I can throw in a few grubs here and there that I find in the garden, I give them nutritional treats ever day and once ever couple days I go to the large tall patch of grasses on my land and cut down several lenghts so they can peck at it and scratch at it or what ever, its a mix of meadow hays, alfalfa, wheat etc...they love it.
NOw about the bedding...I posted once before that I was having a hard time introducing my chicks to shavings. Well each time I have tried I have had to remove them. Ths is week 4 and I tried again, its not like they don't know where or what their feed is etc...but the minute I put the shavings down, they begin to scarf it down. IN 5 minutes they cleared a 1 square foot section, so I took it all back out. I am afraid they will get impacted and die from them eating their bedding. Right now thier bedding consists of hay/straw mix. I remove and replace every couple days or as needed. Hay and straw is readily available to me because I am surrounded by loads of farms including my own...
Will these chickens ever get used to shavings? or is it a lost cause now?? its just so much easier to clean shavings!!!! and cheaper since I get them from the saw mill already kiln dried I get a 50cubic foot bag for 5 dollars...where the hay and straw cost be 3.50 a bale...not bad but I get more from the shavings
Am I causing any damage in not having them out already?
I try my best to provide them with all of their needs. the cage has a 4 inch border all the way around so I can throw in a few grubs here and there that I find in the garden, I give them nutritional treats ever day and once ever couple days I go to the large tall patch of grasses on my land and cut down several lenghts so they can peck at it and scratch at it or what ever, its a mix of meadow hays, alfalfa, wheat etc...they love it.
NOw about the bedding...I posted once before that I was having a hard time introducing my chicks to shavings. Well each time I have tried I have had to remove them. Ths is week 4 and I tried again, its not like they don't know where or what their feed is etc...but the minute I put the shavings down, they begin to scarf it down. IN 5 minutes they cleared a 1 square foot section, so I took it all back out. I am afraid they will get impacted and die from them eating their bedding. Right now thier bedding consists of hay/straw mix. I remove and replace every couple days or as needed. Hay and straw is readily available to me because I am surrounded by loads of farms including my own...
Will these chickens ever get used to shavings? or is it a lost cause now?? its just so much easier to clean shavings!!!! and cheaper since I get them from the saw mill already kiln dried I get a 50cubic foot bag for 5 dollars...where the hay and straw cost be 3.50 a bale...not bad but I get more from the shavings
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