Chickens by Easter .... Maybe

[45lk9p459gm-w]

I use the powder at the bottom of the bag/feeder to make wet mash from time to time.

Could you explain this please? Also fermented feed while we are on the subject. I have heard OP talk of fermented feed but don't know anything about it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Could you explain this please? Also fermented feed while we are on the subject. I have heard OP talk of fermented feed but don't know anything about it.

I don't know anything about fermented feed.

I don't give my birds wet mash all the time, but sometimes there's a fair amount of powder at the bottom of a bag of feed and about once a month or so I find that I need to empty powder from the bottom of my feeder. So I put it into a pan of some kind and stir in enough water to make a consistency that's softer than sandcastle sand but stiffer than corn muffin batter -- tile mortar, maybe?

Just how wet it is doesn't matter that much. What matters is getting a texture that the chickens can easily beak up and eat.

 

[aart]

Question on feed ...... The crumble feed I'm using, Purina, seems to be mostly powder. Is this normal? The chicks also seem to powder it up in the feeder. Judging by the volume of poop and their general appearance, they don't seem to have any problems eating it.

Just wondering ....

I use Purina Flock Raiser crumbles...sometimes it can be very dusty.
Varies bag to bag.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Could you explain this please? Also fermented feed while we are on the subject. I have heard OP talk of fermented feed but don't know anything about it.

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/ is a pretty good basic guide to fermenting.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Wow! Just read through this whole thread.. congrats on the chicks! They’re so cute! And the coop is amazing!

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Chicks are one week old today and are getting big and restless. Those new little wing feathers are starting to provide some lift now so we will have to keep the box top covered to prevent escapes. I would like to keep them where they are for one more week before they move to the coop. Their brooder upgrade is ready for them in any case.

2x4x2 feet high.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Had to add a room addition on to the brooder for scratching, dust bathing, and wing exercises. They may wind up moving to the coop early.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Interesting morning ……. While having our morning coffee on the patio an unfortunate cricket happened to crossed our paths and was captured by the wife, something she normally doesn’t do. I didn’t have to ask what she was thinking as we both got up and headed for the brooder.

The chicks where afraid of it at first but one finally pecked at it and missed. This started a pecking frenzy that led to a game of keep-away and finally the cricket being pulled into three pieces and consumed.

The chicks are still frantically searching for another one. Hope it wasn’t too soon to give them a treat.

 

[3KillerBs]

Interesting morning ……. While having our morning coffee on the patio an unfortunate cricket happened to crossed our paths and was captured by the wife, something she normally doesn’t do. I didn’t have to ask what she was thinking as we both got up and headed for the brooder.

The chicks where afraid of it at first but one finally pecked at it and missed. This started a pecking frenzy that led to a game of keep-away and finally the cricket being pulled into three pieces and consumed.

The chicks are still frantically searching for another one. Hope it wasn’t too soon to give them a treat.

Just make sure they have some grit.

I had to literally dig up some sand from my yard last summer when my chicks started eating ants and ganging up on spiders within an hour of coming home from the farm store (I was brooding in the coop).

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Just make sure they have some grit.

I had to literally dig up some sand from my yard last summer when my chicks started eating ants and ganging up on spiders within an hour of coming home from the farm store (I was brooding in the coop).

I gave them a small clod of dirt and grass from the area where their run will be Tuesday and sprinkled some chick grit on it for good measure. Yesterday I sprinkled a small amount on top of their feed too.

If we find another cricket or grasshopper we will toss it in with them and see how long it lasts.