Chicken Feed

[Mamachic1967]

Hello Friends,

My chickens are arriving in 3 weeks and I'm beginning to panic tryig to plan what to do to get ready, we're a little behind to say the least. I have a few questions that I hope you all can help answer?

- Chciken feed. What is the most popular and healthy feed for laying hens?
- Has anyone added cider vinegar to their drinking water to keep it clean and make it an appealing flavour for the chickens?
- Use straw or hay in the laying boxes?
- Does the hen house need a window? They will have an outdoor pen off the hen house but I've seen windows so they cn see outside. Is this crucial?
- Is one water can enough for 1 chickens or should we get 2?

I'm sure I will have more questions, but that's all I have right now.

Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Thank you! <3

 

[Toddrick]

If they are chicks then you need to buy Starter Feed. Don't put them on Layers Feed until they are laying eggs.

I use straw in the nests, not sure if it matters much though. Windows are not as important as ventilation. Apple Cider Vinegar is optional, but don't put it in galvanized waterers because they will rust. You can probably get by with one big waterer for adult birds, but be aware you will need a little one for chicks, and likely a heated one for winter.

 

[new user]

Hello Friends,

My chickens are arriving in 3 weeks and I'm beginning to panic tryig to plan what to do to get ready, we're a little behind to say the least. I have a few questions that I hope you all can help answer?

- Chciken feed. What is the most popular and healthy feed for laying hens?
- Has anyone added cider vinegar to their drinking water to keep it clean and make it an appealing flavour for the chickens?
- Use straw or hay in the laying boxes?
- Does the hen house need a window? They will have an outdoor pen off the hen house but I've seen windows so they cn see outside. Is this crucial?
- Is one water can enough for 1 chickens or should we get 2?

I'm sure I will have more questions, but that's all I have right now.

Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Thank you! <3

If they are coming in 3 weeks, you still have till they start laying before they need laying feed. They will be on starter feed for approximately 4 months

Me personally don't add any thing to the water yet and my hens are 6 weeks and they dont seem to mind.

Get straw if you can as hay can have briars

I think a coop needs more of a ventilation ordeal than a window lol.

What size waterer you looking at getting? I got the 1 gallon from tractor supply and worked fine till I got fed up with cleaning it out every 5 minutes. So I got a trash can and some watering cups.

hope that helps

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello Friends,

My chickens are arriving in 3 weeks and I'm beginning to panic tryig to plan what to do to get ready, we're a little behind to say the least. I have a few questions that I hope you all can help answer?

- Chciken feed. What is the most popular and healthy feed for laying hens?
- Has anyone added cider vinegar to their drinking water to keep it clean and make it an appealing flavour for the chickens?
- Use straw or hay in the laying boxes?
- Does the hen house need a window? They will have an outdoor pen off the hen house but I've seen windows so they cn see outside. Is this crucial?
- Is one water can enough for 1 chickens or should we get 2?

I'm sure I will have more questions, but that's all I have right now.

Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Thank you! <3

1) There is no one right answer to this. For actively laying birds, any of the commercial "layer" feeds is appropriate - you can also just as easily use a grower ration and provide the extra calcium that an actively laying bird needs by providing oyster shell, etc. Each person has their own preference as to brand/specific formula. If the birds you are receiving are under 18 weeks and/or not currently in a production cycle they have no need of layer feed and, in fact, could suffer health consequences if fed such a ration.

2) I do not us ACV. The type of waterer you are going to use should be considered as you do not want to use ACV in a galvanized water dispenser (common materiel in manufactured poultry waterers)

3) I use a base of pine shavings topped with hay. I only use hay because that is what is readily available due to having it on hand for feeding the horses. Again, this is one of those things that will come down to a personal preference thing for you/your birds.

4) Windows are not so much about the birds being able to see out, but about letting light into the coop....they can also be used as part of the coop ventilation system. That being said, they are not "crucial" as long as the ventilation are addressed in other ways.

5) How many chickens are you going to have? What type of waterer are you going to use? Whether one will be sufficient will depend.

 

[Mamachic1967]

Hello, thanks for your replies and suggestions. We are getting 12 chickens, ready to lay, they are 18 weeks old.
Yes the window for ventilation makes sense and will be needed, thankyou!
We will use regular town water even though we are in the country we are on town water and I know its got chlorine in it. So that bothers me and wonder if there's something I can do to help that issue.
My dad suggested shavings as its soft and fluffy, but I will also try straw or hay.
I'm not sure the amount of water that they will need. I was considering making a water source out of PCV pipe. Has anyone tried that?

 

[Mamachic1967]

Hello, thanks for your replies and suggestions. We are getting 12 chickens, ready to lay, they are 18 weeks old.
Yes the window for ventilation makes sense and will be needed, thankyou!
We will use regular town water even though we are in the country we are on town water and I know its got chlorine in it. So that bothers me and wonder if there's something I can do to help that issue.
My dad suggested shavings as its soft and fluffy, but I will also try straw or hay.
I'm not sure the amount of water that they will need. I was considering making a water source out of PCV pipe. Has anyone tried that?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello, thanks for your replies and suggestions. We are getting 12 chickens, ready to lay, they are 18 weeks old.
Yes the window for ventilation makes sense and will be needed, thankyou!
We will use regular town water even though we are in the country we are on town water and I know its got chlorine in it. So that bothers me and wonder if there's something I can do to help that issue.
My dad suggested shavings as its soft and fluffy, but I will also try straw or hay.
I'm not sure the amount of water that they will need. I was considering making a water source out of PCV pipe. Has anyone tried that?

There are several neat DIY project water systems you can find here on BYC -- here are some threads you might find helpful https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=diy+water+pvc

 

[Mamachic1967]

Thanks a bushel and a peck!

 

[Mamachic1967]

Thank you. My chickens will be 18 weeks when they arrive. I will hold off on the cider vinegar until I see about the water intake. I will get one waterer. Thanks. All information is appreciated!

 

[Mamachic1967]

Thank you, very helpful!