Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Dust and a very cool color pre sunset orange to red glow outside for a little bit there. Had a critter eat a wire on my truck(have not started it in about a month) likely it relocated to my truck after the flood of the last storm. As for the mail order chicks check them at the post office. I had a complete shipment arrive with only 2 alive when they came in and one died a day later. The second group was 9 of 10 living.

Sorry that not all of your chicks arrived alive. I hope that the remaining ones will be ok.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yep! That's typically what happens to me too!

My house got blasted again today. I rushed home from work when I saw how dark the sky had gotten over my house, and sure enough the storms took their toll. There was a small pond on my kitchen floor from the leak that formed in the skylight, and the entire backyard was a lake. Thankfully, I can easily fix all of the damage with a little time and elbow grease. Maybe Mother Nature will back off tomorrow and let me fix everything before the next deluge arrives.

There's supposed to be a change in the weather pattern for next week, and that it's supposed to be a bit cooler.

 

[nicollee]

So the Alohas are about 6(?) weeks now, and "getting along" with the older hens. Do I let the chicks have layer food, or the hens have the chick starter? or just mix it all together and hope for the best?

Oh yeah, and if your phone is ever removed from your possesion... try the locator service BEFORE you suspend the phone service. ugggg

 

[BlueBaby]

So the Alohas are about 6(?) weeks now, and "getting along" with the older hens. Do I let the chicks have layer food, or the hens have the chick starter? or just mix it all together and hope for the best?

Oh yeah, and if your phone is ever removed from your possesion... try the locator service BEFORE you suspend the phone service. ugggg

Since they are now a flock of mixed ages, you could feed them some of that All-flock crumbles, with some oyster shell in a separate bowl for the hen's to do the free-choice. That way they will all be able to eat the feed with no problem.

 

[igorsMistress]

@nicollee

My flock gets chick starter with oyster shell on the side. Extra calcium isn't good for the chicks.

 

[meetthebubus]

@nicollee

My flock gets chick starter with oyster shell on the side. Extra calcium isn't good for the chicks.

Second that

 

[nicollee]

@meetthebubus, @BlueBaby @igorsMistress
So use up the chick starter! Chick starter for 4 months, right?
I've had oyster shells out there for a year, but only the wild birds seem to care. Even if I put treats in the oyster shell dish, they don't touch them.

 

[igorsMistress]

@nicollee
My hens are still on chick starter at 1.5 years. They use the oyster shell and I feed back egg shells. No layer feed which already has calcium.

Chicks shouldn't get layer feed until they start to lay which can be older than 4 months.

 

[meetthebubus]

@meetthebubus, @BlueBaby @igorsMistress
So use up the chick starter! Chick starter for 4 months, right?
I've had oyster shells out there for a year, but only the wild birds seem to care. Even if I put treats in the oyster shell dish, they don't touch them.

2 reasons I think as to why they don't eat the oyster wait.... 3 reasons

They could be getting enough in their layer feed so they don't need it, once you give them chick starter they will eat a lot of the oyster bc they'll need it

The oyster I find to be too big and I see my hens look for the smallest pieces and bypass the big, so try to crush it more

Also they may be stale or old ? But I think it's the first 2 reasons most likely

 

[FeatherPugs]

Yep I agree, chick starter grower for a longer time for everyone. Good for your hens too as it has more protein to offset the heat. Oyster shells on the side. You might need to dump the older oyster shells and give some new. My hens get their oyster shell in the evening - that's when they need them for making eggs. I wouldn't put treats in the bowl or whatever you use. Also for some reason my girls don't like the oyster shell if it gets wet - I just shake my head put the old stuff in the compost pile and give them some new.