Does this sound right? Need advice.

[HewittD]

The coop is all enclosed except at the top. The back is about 3 inches higher than the front so the roof slopes down. There is openings between the roof and side walls which are as high as the front. Will this let in enough light? I was going to make more of an opening but was worried about making the coop too drafty. Plexiglass is a good idea. My finger had a bad run in with a rock and a pitchfork, so once that's healed I'll get their window installed.

It looks like it'll be a couple days before I can get their feed in. What should I feed them until the feed gets in? I have a layers feed for when they get older.

How should I offer them their grit? Just in a small bowl in their coop? Can someone explain this whole gizzard thing to me? I know they don't chew their food but it seems strange that they'd eat little rocks.

Also, I have their water inside the coop. Should I move it outside the coop during the day for them?

I never really trusted the woman at SS, that's why I came here to ask. I'm glad I did. Poor chickens. If SS had a layers feed, scratch, and grit, do you think they'd have a growers feed? I tried checking their website, but they didn't have a very complete catalog.

-Dylan

 

[HewittD]

I felt really bad for neglecting my chickens so I just went to SS. Luckily they were open and, even better, 'chicken lady' wasn't there. I asked for grower/starter feed and they had it. When I brought it home the girls came running and ate a good bit of it. It has limestone in it, I assume that'll meet their grit needs? Now I'm wondering if I should keep the food in their coop, or keep a container of it outside of their coop, or both.

-Dylan

 

[airmom1c05]

Both is my vote.

 

[jjthink]

If you can, tell a manager at SS the wrong info is being dispensed. I shudder to think how many chickens are or will get sick because of the info they are giving out.
13 years ago, when 2 roos (my first chickens) appeared on my doorstep, homeless and hungry, the feed store said all the food they needed was scratch. I didn't know different all those years ago - and it was a feed store after all - so I listened to them. Later when I learned how wrong that was, I told them so. And to this day, I still correct them when they give out incorrect info - now I know it when I hear it.
Sadly, it's getting increasingly rare that people selling stuff actually know what they are talking about.
Good for you for double checking with other sources of info like BYC.
JJ

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

keep the food in the coop, there's less chance of rats or birds eating it if they can't get in

 

[speckledhen]

They have a Grow N Finish for birds over 12 weeks, but it's listed for every bird except chickens (turkeys, gamebirds, etc). I am temporarily using that with my older chicks, currently 12 weeks old, but SS does not have an actual regular pullet grower that I'm aware of-I know, I've tried to find out about it several times. They do make a Starter/Grower, meant to be fed till the babies are about laying age. If you only have access to SS feeds, I'd just feed that myself.

 

[d.k]

* Me, I LIKE the name Helga. Helga the Hen has a nice ring to it!! You could shorten Brown Chicken to just Brown though, or Brownie ( ummmm, brownies!) Gotta go make brownies, now! WELCOME TO BYC!!

Oh, BTW--I'd put wire on the window for summer. . You can cover it with plexi in the winter though, when it gets cold. . .

 

[cmom]

Chickens do not have teeth. Their food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on. The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age.

The oyster shells can act as grit to an extent, but young birds who are not laying should not have oyster shell. Grit that is usually granite grit, does the job much better than oyster shell, which really isn't that hard. Grit grinds the Oyster Shell. While the gizzard is an amazingly strong organ, the Grit is a part of its function. Also, if they free range they will eat dirt for grit, but I always have a dish of granite grit near their food.

I have RIR's. I have learned this about grit etc. from visiting several different forums

 

[cmom]

I also agree that your birds should be fed starter/grower crumbles or pellets until they start laying then switched to layer feed. I keep my feed, water, grit and oyster shells in the coop in the same area.

 

[HewittD]

I'm sad to report that Sadie was eaten last night by an owl. Nothing was left but a handful of feathers. Must have gotten her just before it got dark. I feel like a failure.

-Dylan