Chickens aren’t eating chicken feed

[littlecoopnextdoor]

You're doing great taking care of them. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed, so make sure you don't have any buckets or dishes in the patio area with water in them. that will reduce the mosquitos. I wear long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn when they're out. Try and attract bats and dragonflies, they eat a lot of mosquitoes.

 

[TooCheep]

Supposedly darker clothing attracts them, so wear light colors if you can.

I recommend moving the food/water down to the run area. That will prevent them from kicking the shavings into the food/water.

Is there no roost bar in the coop area?

 

[Baruch]

Supposedly darker clothing attracts them, so wear light colors if you can.

I recommend moving the food/water down to the run area. That will prevent them from kicking the shavings into the food/water.

Is there no roost bar in the coop area?

It was raining today, and the only dry spot was in the box.

There is a ladder leading up to the brooding area. That’s it.

 

[NatJ]

@NatJ

Do these pictures help you narrow the breed of the male?

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And a video:

I agree with this:

I'd guess a hatchery RIR cockerel,

Not a certainty, but pretty likely to be correct.

 

[Baruch]

I agree with this:


Not a certainty, but pretty likely to be correct.

What does hatchery in the name mean?

 

[Folly's place]

Show type RIRs don't resemble hatchery types in size or especially color. In many breeds, show breeders select for birds who fit their breed standard, while hatcheries tend to favor good egg production over breed type.
Either approach is fine, just different.
Mary

 

[NatJ]

What does hatchery in the name mean?

If you read a description of the ideal Rhode Island Red: hatchery birds are not going to match very well at all. They will usually be close enough that you can tell what breed they are meant to be, but will often have the color a bit off, the size a bit off, the body shape a bit off, and so forth.

Those details are important if you want to win prizes in a chicken show. They are important to some people who want to raise chickens with those particular traits. But if you just want lots of eggs and/or backyard pets from chickens who look sort-of like a Rhode Island Red, the hatchery quality ones are just fine. And some people could even prefer the appearance of the hatchery-quality ones (example: I personally like that red shade better than the darker red that is considered "better" in Rhode Island Reds.)

 

[Baruch]

I’m wanting to have chickens again. I’ve been having so much fun these past few days. I miss owning chickens.

If I were to get them, I would only purchase hens. No roosters.

I don’t know what to feel. I love chickens so much. I think they might be my favorite animal of all time. They are hilarious.

 

[TLynne1]

Looks like there's more than one issue here. It's a layer feed, meant for birds who are already laying eggs, not chicks. And they are getting 'goodies' rather than a balanced primary diet. At this point, an unmedicated chick starter, or a 20% protein all flock feed would be best, and not bread!
The critters they find while 'free ranging' are fine, but no extras until they are both eating a balanced diet.
And if that's where they live, it's too small and any predator could easily demolish it and have a chicken dinner. Not your problem, but it's true.
Mary

Totally agree with you

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I’m watching my uncle’s chickens. They purchased 2 as tiny chicks, and they’ve had them for about a month or two.

What is their main diet? Chicks should eat chick feed until they are about five months old, and you should slowly transition them to layer feed. The reason for that is that vent problems such as prolapses will occur in the females if they are suddenly switched over to layer feed without a slow transition or if they were fed layer feed their whole life.

They said I should feed bread and other things.

Wrong. Very wrong. Bread is one of the worst things you can feed chickens, and birds in general. Contrary to popular belief, bread fed to birds in a moderate or large amount can bloat them very easily and it has just about no nutritional value. Overall not a good thing to feed them, it is kind of like a toxin.

I made them scrambled eggs, but I’m curious why they aren’t eating their main diet?

If you are feeding them layer feed right now, stop that as soon as possible!!! Chicks do not need layer feed, as I stated above. You will cause them to have very painful health issues if you keep doing that.