Another flock of chickens in Washington

[Kari P]

Yup, I'm sure they are girls.
Yes, fosterson, several other people have mentioned that if I keep feeding them layer feed but they are not actually laying yet, then it can damage their kidneys. (Maybe too much protein in their system if it isn't been used in the egg?!) I have no idea! LOL!

 

[fosterson]

At this point, I wouldn't change anything. I certainly wouldn't still be feeding them starter feed at that age (WAY too much protein at 20%) but layer feed is 4% calcium. I wouldn't offer them free-choice calcium (oyster shells) till they ARE laying. That would definitely be too much calcium. Just sit back, and enjoy em ;D

Keeping chickens is easy unless you make it really difficult

 

[Kari P]

I'm not at the "sit back" stage yet, and easy wouldn't be the word is use at this point. So far ... my "free range" has now been eliminated by the coyotes that have moved in so I have to build a fence, my water dispenser for some reason isn't refilling itself, I have a rooster that was suppose to be a girl and I don't know what to do with him (and he's mean), they are sleeping in their nesting boxes instead of their roosting bar (and yes the bar is higher than the boxes), I don't know how to put food (like apples or pears) in the coop for them without the scraps rotting in the wood chips so they are only eating feed (which was not my goal). Maybe someday they will be easy ... hopefully sooner than later.

 

[fosterson]

I'm not at the "sit back" stage yet, and easy wouldn't be the word is use at this point.

So far ... my "free range" has now been eliminated by the coyotes that have moved in so I have to build a fence,

my water dispenser for some reason isn't refilling itself,

I have a rooster that was suppose to be a girl and I don't know what to do with him (and he's mean),

they are sleeping in their nesting boxes instead of their roosting bar (and yes the bar is higher than the boxes),

I don't know how to put food (like apples or pears) in the coop for them without the scraps rotting in the wood chips so they are only eating feed (which was not my goal).

Maybe someday they will be easy ... hopefully sooner than later.

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC!