Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Fred's Hens]

Ridgerunner,

I've seen both kinds of studies. Day 1 high calcium was devastating, as one might imagine. Other studies have had two groups. At age 15 weeks, 4.5% calcium layer is fed while in group 2, the diet was a continuation of 1.5% calcium. The studies were conducted in hopes of finding that early onset of 4.5% calcium was a benefit to the layer in "pre-building" calcium that would be useable during lay from week 20-50, roughly. The results were somewhat inconclusive. Thus, the layer industry is somewhat divided, as I understand it, in applying the results. Personally, I didn't buy into it's advantage. There was nothing to convince me and too much to dissuade me.

What seems much more clear is advantage of delaying POL for two weeks. This allows the pullet's organ and weight to develop and everything I've seen has shown this to be extraordinarily beneficial to the long term health and well-being of the bird.

As you can tell, I may be older,

but I am a reader, a researcher and an educator, both by profession and by disposition. Still, common sense has to rule the day.

 

[MedChicken]

Not to sound like an idiot, but could someone clarify the difference between drafts and ventilation?

 

[jvls1942]

I don't make it a habit of overdoing the protein or calcium.. Once the chickens are of laying age, or actually start to lay, I switch to a layer ration.. I don't do oyster shells or calcium suppliments unless there is an obvious problem, like very thin shells, for instance..

 

[speckledhen]

An oversimplification of drafts vs ventilation would be drafts are low, ventilation is up high (over their heads to exhaust moisture).

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
the way I define a draft.. if the air is moving so fast so as to suck the heat out of the brooder hood, ventilation is a non-noticeable exchange of air.. for feathered chickens I don't worry about draft..

 

[Fred's Hens]

Drafts are uncontrolled air infiltration. Huge cracks, gaps or holes. Still, drafts are about the most over blown issue, ever. Shoot, I once a small group of White Rocks who decided to spend the winter in the evergreen grove behind the coop. Sure, it cut down on the wind, but it was what it was. Those crazy hens trotted into the coop and laid their eggs and went right back outside, all winter, in Michigan, mind you, in the 1960's, long before "climate change".

To vent. You have a dryer vent at your house, right? What does it do? It vents, it allows hot, humid air to escape. You have vents on top of your house too!! Look up there. What you'll see is either cable end vents, roof vents, or a long ridge vent. Their purpose is allow you attic to be a cold as the outside air. If your attic is warmer, it will hold moisture and condensate. You'll have frost, mold and destruction on the underside of your roof sheathing and your insulation could be wet and useless.

Ditto the barn or coop. You need openings, vents, which allows the rising moist air from chicken poop and chicken breath to escape. These vents need to be placed at the higher point of your barn. This matter is so simple, and yet made so unnecessarily convoluted.

Here's our barn. Extrapolate what you see to your own situation. Hope it helps.

 

[MedChicken]

Ok, thanks, that makes sense. I tried to make sure my coop has as much ventilation as possible, since it gets really hot and humid in the summer out here in Virginia. It has an open space between the walls and the roof and some hardware cloth "windows" on two opposing sides for the hot air to get out and narrow floor-to-ceiling slits on one of the other sides which let fresh air in. It doesn't smell like chicken poop in there and the walls are nice and dry. When I go into the coop to feed the chickens or clean up, it's not windy or cold in there, even though it's pretty breezy outside. I'm going to take that to mean that I did ok.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

Quote:
Once birds are grown, 16-17% protein is sufficient for good production. I up the protein during and immediately after a molt till the feathers look good.

Feed manufacturers make feed with a balance of minerals, vitamins, protein and fats for optimal nutrition for the animals they're intended. If you read the label, it normally states something to the effect (I'm paraphrasing)
"This is a complete feed and should be the sole ration, no supplement is needed."

So if you feed a significant amount of scratch or table scraps, that has to be taken into consideration.
You shouldn't need 20% unless those supplements make up more than 10% of the diet.
If you do feed 20%, half of the diet can be scratch grains, that will bring total protein down to about 16%.

It's a rare lush pasture that can supply significant nutrition for optimal production.
I don't know where you're located but around here there isn't any protein to be had foraging this time of year. Summer is much better but I don't calculate that unknown into the equation.

I doubt my yard is the "rare lush pasture" you mentioned so I think I will just stick to the 16% layer feed & wait for the days to get longer. I live on San Juan Island, WA, we are not warm but the climate is very mild & the lawns are still green. Our day length is only 9 hours right now & I am thrilled that everyday they will get a little longer now

Meaghan

 

[BWKatz]

Well I finally got all of this thread read. I started when it only had 17 pages . I am so glad the moderators decided to keep it going. Although I name my hens and pet them , I still consider them essentially livestock. I really appreciate all the info from the OT and don't mind experiences from newbies. I have learned from both. I also don't mind the bluntness of this thread. I know it is slanted against "pet keepers" but I want to give the best care to my hens.This is the best place for me to find out if I am doing something wrong... so far I think I'm following the OT's advice pretty good which relieves my mind. My thanks & kudos to all of you.

 

[justachick]

Quote:
Id love to see the trough feeder. Ive always said (I think I heard it hear 1st) that chickens are just pigs with feathers! I think a trough would be great!
I also love to know how to find the eggs if my girls are free range. I keep them in till noon and let them out when I think theyre done but I know I miss lots.
BTW Im very happy to back in the chicken coop after a long absence. Ive missed y'all.