Chicks in the winter, when can they go out side??

[ElaynasChick]

This one?



As long as it's just a small part of what they eat each day, that mixture should do as well as any other (but you might as well skip the diotomaceous earth--eating it doesn't help the chickens, and breathing it can be bad for them and for you.)

If the chickens are eating a complete feed, then scratch is just a treat, and what goes into it doesn't matter much. Equally good treats can come from your own kitchen--carrot peels and apple cores and the crust of someone's sandwich and the piece of cheese that fell on the floor and so forth (but they do not store well for later!)

If the scratch is a large part of what the chickens eat, then it has to be more carefully balanced, and I don't know enough about chicken nutrition to help with that.

Okay, yeah it will be a small part of there diet probably one scoop a day or so. wow i am surprised about the diotomaceuos earth there is this homesteader Youtuber that says she always puts it in the scratch because it will de worm them, i have seen a lot of people say that you can put it in the bottom of the coop under the pine shavings, is that okay?

 

[NatJ]

...diotomaceuos earth...

You could do a search, on google or on the forums. I've seen opinions ranging from "good for everything" to "dangerous, do not use." I strongly suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle!

Places that sell it do warn not to breathe it, so I easily believe that breathing it is a bad idea.

A google search turns up lots of page saying it doesn't work when wet, but does work again when dry.
Here's one example page:
https://www.pro-terra.com/hrf_faq/happens-de-gets-wet-will-still-work/
That would mean it's useless inside a chicken (wet). Underneath bedding may be wet or dry, and the chickens may or may not mix it up and throw it in the air when they scratch. I personally would just skip diatomaceous earth entirely, but as you've already seen, plenty of other view points exist!

 

[ElaynasChick]

You could do a search, on google or on the forums. I've seen opinions ranging from "good for everything" to "dangerous, do not use." I strongly suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle!

Places that sell it do warn not to breathe it, so I easily believe that breathing it is a bad idea.

A google search turns up lots of page saying it doesn't work when wet, but does work again when dry.
Here's one example page:
https://www.pro-terra.com/hrf_faq/happens-de-gets-wet-will-still-work/
That would mean it's useless inside a chicken (wet). Underneath bedding may be wet or dry, and the chickens may or may not mix it up and throw it in the air when they scratch. I personally would just skip diatomaceous earth entirely, but as you've already seen, plenty of other view points exist!

since mine is food grade i wonder if that means it is safe to put inside a chickens body, but yeah i will skip it in the grit, and maybe put just a little on the floor of the coop not the run.

 

[NatJ]

since mine is food grade i wonder if that means it is safe to put inside a chickens body, but yeah i will skip it in the grit, and maybe put just a little on the floor of the coop not the run.

It's probably not going to hurt them if they eat it, just not going to do any good either.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You took the words right out of my mouth. Organic has to be started from day one.

Glad to have confirmation of this. I was pretty sure that was the rule but didn't bother looking it up.

I feed mine organic as soon as I get them, but as I pick up from a feed store I obviously have no control over what the employees might be feeding them.

I'd say as a general rule if you want to eat organic, following most organic practices is "good enough" for personal consumption.

 

[ElaynasChick]

Good morning! yesterday i moved my chicks to the coop, and they survived the night! i think today i will let them in the run unless anyone thinks otherwise, i am a little nervous to let them in the run because it is very big and i don't want them to get lost.

 

[aart]

Good morning! yesterday i moved my chicks to the coop, and they survived the night! i think today i will let them in the run unless anyone thinks otherwise, i am a little nervous to let them in the run because it is very big and i don't want them to get lost.

I'd be tempted to leave them in the coop for a day or two.
Is the run mesh small enough to keep them safe?
Dimensions and pics of your coop and run would help here.

 

[NatJ]

Good morning! yesterday i moved my chicks to the coop, and they survived the night! i think today i will let them in the run unless anyone thinks otherwise, i am a little nervous to let them in the run because it is very big and i don't want them to get lost.

I agree with aart about leaving them in the coop for a day or two.

Within a few days, they will be used to sleeping in the coop, and will try to go there at night--if you let them in the run now, they might go looking for the brooder at bedtime!

 

[ElaynasChick]

I'd be tempted to leave them in the coop for a day or two.
Is the run mesh small enough to keep them safe?
Dimensions and pics of your coop and run would help here.

the run is full mesh from bottom to top up until the roof so there is no way for them to get out. i let them in the run and i might put them back in now. also i now made it so they only have food and water outside is that okay for at night if they do not have food or water at night

 

[ElaynasChick]

I agree with aart about leaving them in the coop for a day or two.

Within a few days, they will be used to sleeping in the coop, and will try to go there at night--if you let them in the run now, they might go looking for the brooder at bedtime!

yeah, i did leave them in the coop for a day