A Newbie Chicken Owner in Hot Water

[ValerieJ]

Thanks for the advice! I'll look into getting a different feed. They do have access to crushed oyster shells in a separate dish. Do those contain protein? I thought it was just calcium. Huh. Anyway, I'm not sure about feeding them meat. Would meal worms and unsalted sunflower seeds work as well?

The reason you offer oyster shell with All Flock or Flock Raiser feed is because the OS isn't already in it. OS is already in layer feed. OS is not protein. I use layer feed because I have all laying hens, however, I'm switching to an All Flock based on great advice I have read on this site. To increase their protein intake I give a few meal worms every day, plus their run is so big, and under apple, pear, plum and pear trees, they have lots of free range bugs.

I personally don't feel your problem is with the food, but with Raven. It just matches my challenge with Rosie so well, and I worked with Rosie for a long time.

 

[ValerieJ]

Thanks for the idea with bird netting! I never thought of that. I will definitely look into it! Aww... your GLW sounds just like Sunshine! I wish her luck in dealing with the BO.

Best deal on bird netting is on Amazon:

COMPATH Bird Netting Heavy Duty Garden Net Protect Plants and Fruit Trees Protective Netting 2.4" Square Mesh Size (50'×50')
Sold by: Amament

$37.99

Trust me, I have bought a lot of bird netting! And you can make it work around trees. In fact you can use the trees as an anchor.

 

[ThreeFeathers]

Thanks! I'll order some as soon as I can.

 

[ThreeFeathers]

ValerieJ, I really appreciate your advice on dealing with Raven. I am so sorry about Rosie. Sadly however, Raven's story was similar to hers in that she is gone. She was killed by a fox last spring. Perhaps though, I could apply this to the others? Both Dottie and Jojo pick on Sunshine. Dottie can be meaner to her, but Jojo eats Dottie's feathers (particularly on the neck). Which one should I separate from the flock? Should I seperate all three? Thank you so much, and I am sorry if I confused you.

 

[slordaz]

one thing to consider, is any new birds need to be quarantined for 2 weeks better yet a month. This is done so you can treat any problems they have with out it affecting your flock, for example, I just got 6 pullets that are half way to laying age . They are in quarantine and first thing I notice is a big round worm in someones poop, then some bloody poops so these new pullets are being treated for both worm over load and coccidosis, if they have been with the whole flock that would not have been fun treating all of them instead the new ones will be clear before being introduced to the flock in a see but no touch situation and see how things go from there.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

17% protein isn't bad IMO (I average about 16.5% protein), though the treats would've diluted down the protein percentage since they were probably favoring treats over feed. So if you can cut down treats substantially, that'll help without adding extra protein. Sunflower seeds and mealworms are both rather fatty, so I'd feed those in moderation.

You are getting some different opinions here, and you'll have to decide for yourself what works best for you. But I agree with this from @rosemarythyme and it's something you can implement right away if you haven't already (I think you have). Your birds were getting so many "treats" they weren't getting the benefit of the good, balanced diet of the feed you were providing. Like letting kids choose between cake and ice cream, or fruits and veggies, right? Once you cut out the snack food, they should get all the protein they need without having to add meat or other extraneous protein sources to their diet.

 

[Lizzy733]

It looks like opening up that extra space will help out a lot for your girls. Don't forget to provide hides as well as perches. You can nail a pair of pallets together for a good make-shift tunnel or anchor one against a fence.
Also, if your feed is a mixed grain, you might want to look into pellets instead - hens can be choosy and they will pick for flavor over substance every time.
Mealworms are definitely the fattier of bug options - try crickets or black soldier fly larvae instead for a leaner protein treat.

 

[NewBoots]

Remember, minimum space in a coop is 4 square feet per hen and in the run, 10 square feet per bird. At least I believe those are the correct numbers. Anything less is likely to have aggression issues.

 

[ValerieJ]

ValerieJ, I really appreciate your advice on dealing with Raven. I am so sorry about Rosie. Sadly however, Raven's story was similar to hers in that she is gone. She was killed by a fox last spring. Perhaps though, I could apply this to the others? Both Dottie and Jojo pick on Sunshine. Dottie can be meaner to her, but Jojo eats Dottie's feathers (particularly on the neck). Which one should I separate from the flock? Should I seperate all three? Thank you so much, and I am sorry if I confused you.

Oh I'm so sorry!!!! I don't think it was how you said it, but me coming in and out and not following as well as I should have. It's so hard to say. I would separate them one at a time, but not Sunshine. I know people are advising on food, and I don't know what to say about that. It has never been my issue, and you say you give treats only 3 times a week. That doesn't sound like too much, unless it's enough to be in there for several days. I know right now I'm having a nutrition problem because my apple trees are dropping apples. The food is not being eaten as usual because they love the apples. I have had so much to do lately that I haven't raked up all the apples, but I must do it soon. Like tomorrow morning.

I still think it's behavioral, so I would go with the advice you have received on that. More space as soon as you can, more obstacles, and take out the most aggressive for a week and then the other. Are we down to just the 3 then?

Really, I'm sorry I can't keep up. Trying to make a Pho luncheon for a group of 12 ladies on Wednesday. What was I thinking?

 

[cluckcluckhens]

I am going to tell you what happened to us. New with chickens in 2012 we bought 6 Australorps, one didn't make it after we picked them up at the post office. That one I believe was a cockerel but not sure. It just looked different than the other. Two weeks later another chick died for no reason. Four Austras, then we picked up 6 Wyandottes, three golden and silver laced. Ms Chicky a Gold sex link was given to us and a Australorp Rooster. Our run is 10x20 and our coop is the same size. Coop area is half for lawn tools and other half is the chickens. In 2014 the little silver wyandotte decided to go after the australorp, we protected her from being pecked from the silver wyandotte and so every day I used anything to keep her away from the australorp even if I had to chase her around the run. Austra was afraid of her and so we named her ms pecker for a reason because she pecked ms australorp any chance she could. She went for the head. I put ms pecker into the old coop/hen house two weeks at a time and put ms pecker back with the others and it only took a day or less to start all over again. Total of 6 weeks or more did not help. I put her in the coop while I left for just about 10 or 15 and she was gone by the time I got back home. She was 2 and half years old when she started pecking. Other two silvers was fine and never caused a problem. In 2017 three years later she started again and took the last three australorp from us. Drew blood on head every time. Lesson learned is once they draw blood you have to get rid of them. My hubby did the task of ms pecker. Enough is enough. Sometimes you have to. Feed store guy that we told said we should of done this when it started because once they start they do not stop. We found out the hard way.

Now we have the original two gold laced wyandottes left from 2012. We found big girl silver in the coop last year like she was sleeping on the floor and medium girl silver this year. I don't know what happened to silver but she would not go in when it was getting dark and then that was it.

Today we have a cockerel, and seven pullets and the two gold wyandottes. All get along. We have three gold sex links, three australorps and two welsummers, one pullet and one became a cockerel. We need a Rooster to keep the girls in line and no pecking order. That is his job I read so if I would of got another rooster after he left us none of this probably would not of happened.

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