Feeding mixed age hens

[Sundog24]

We lost all but 1 chicken to a bear attack and have just added 4 pullets, 7 weeks old. If I’m remembering correctly, they should be on growers feed while my adult laying hen should be on layers feed. How do I handle the different feed in the coop until the pullets are laying?

 

[sourland]

You might want to feed an 'all flock' grower maintenance and provide oyster shell on the side. Good luck in protecting from the bear.

 

[Sundog24]

You might want to feed an 'all flock' grower maintenance and provide oyster shell on the side. Good luck in protecting from the bear.

Oyster shell just for the laying hen? We have fortified the coop and have heard the 250 pound bear was killed by hunters nearby so hopefully he was the only one. Hoping to get an electric fence. Thank you!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

agree with @sourland . All Flock for all ages, free choice oyster shell for the needed calcium boost for your layers. You might also find All Flock described as Flock Raiser, depending upon brand.

No advice regarding the bear.

 

[Sundog24]

agree with @sourland . All Flock for all ages, free choice oyster shell for the needed calcium boost for your layers. You might also find All Flock described as Flock Raiser, depending upon brand.

No advice regarding the bear.

Will the pullets avoid the oyster shell since they don’t need it?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. They will try it, then leave it alone.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Just wondering if you’ve done anything extra to deter the bear? I’ve had a bear attack. First time he done considerable damage to the coop but ended up giving up before he got to my chickens. After that attack I rebuilt the coop and added an electric fence. Then he came back and attempted to get into our trash (which was secured against coons but was effective for the bear, too), and he tried to get into the out building where I keep the chicken feed. He broke part of a wall, but again gave up. The third time he came back, and he killed three of my chickens. He killed one and ate it, then went back for the rest of the flock, and thankfully I woke up to the ruckus at 3 AM. He killed two more right in front of my eyes. I fired some rounds at it but missed, and it came back again at 6AM that same morning. The electric fence didn’t deter him. This bear had also successfully killed 12 of my neighbor’s chickens. So we ended up surrounding the coop with “unwelcome” mats that I have to pick up every morning and lay down every night, covering the weak spots with boards that have nails facing out of them (the windows and gaps for ventilation because that’s where he aims every time), adding motion sensitive lights, and I added a baby monitor in hopes that it would wake me up.

My point is once a bear finds an easy meal, it will forever remember. They usually have a route that they routinely travel, circling back to the same places every 2-4 weeks. I do not live in an extremely rural area, and in fact live less than 5 minutes from the nearest town. This can happen anywhere!

As for feed, I agree with others except to add that grower feed or all flock feed will work with free choice oyster shells. At any point in time I always have babies, molting hens, roosters, and/or layers and have used both all flock (20% protein) and grower feed (18% protein). Layer feed usually has 15-17% protein but the slight increase should hurt, especially if you’re feeding babies and melting hens.

 

[Sundog24]

Just wondering if you’ve done anything extra to deter the bear? I’ve had a bear attack. First time he done considerable damage to the coop but ended up giving up before he got to my chickens. After that attack I rebuilt the coop and added an electric fence. Then he came back and attempted to get into our trash (which was secured against coons but was effective for the bear, too), and he tried to get into the out building where I keep the chicken feed. He broke part of a wall, but again gave up. The third time he came back, and he killed three of my chickens. He killed one and ate it, then went back for the rest of the flock, and thankfully I woke up to the ruckus at 3 AM. He killed two more right in front of my eyes. I fired some rounds at it but missed, and it came back again at 6AM that same morning. The electric fence didn’t deter him. This bear had also successfully killed 12 of my neighbor’s chickens. So we ended up surrounding the coop with “unwelcome” mats that I have to pick up every morning and lay down every night, covering the weak spots with boards that have nails facing out of them (the windows and gaps for ventilation because that’s where he aims every time), adding motion sensitive lights, and I added a baby monitor in hopes that it would wake me up.

My point is once a bear finds an easy meal, it will forever remember. They usually have a route that they routinely travel, circling back to the same places every 2-4 weeks. I do not live in an extremely rural area, and in fact live less than 5 minutes from the nearest town. This can happen anywhere!

As for feed, I agree with others except to add that grower feed or all flock feed will work with free choice oyster shells. At any point in time I always have babies, molting hens, roosters, and/or layers and have used both all flock (20% protein) and grower feed (18% protein). Layer feed usually has 15-17% protein but the slight increase should hurt, especially if you’re feeding babies and melting hens.

We have ordered an electric fence and motion sensor; putting up motion light tomorrow. We are reinforcing the coop and limiting areas bears can grab onto the walls. Seriously considered building a cinder block coop. I like the nails idea so we may add some. Unwelcome mats if we need to. Haven’t had issues with predators in a year and a half other than a hawk (through the fence), so we had to rethink some things.

We are almost positive that the bear that attacked our chickens was killed on the third night by a hunter. He returned the second evening at dusk to sniff around but hasn’t been seen since. It’s rare for multiple bears of that size to be in a small area where we live, but still possible. We are hoping to have enough time to prepare before another bear finds us. We were prepared to kill him the third night since we had heard that he would continue to return to eat any new chickens, our koi fish, get into sheds, house, etc. but we were called by a neighbor who knew of the bear hunt kill nearby.

Thanks for the advice on the feed and good luck with your bear situation!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

We have ordered an electric fence and motion sensor; putting up motion light tomorrow. We are reinforcing the coop and limiting areas bears can grab onto the walls. Seriously considered building a cinder block coop. I like the nails idea so we may add some. Unwelcome mats if we need to. Haven’t had issues with predators in a year and a half other than a hawk (through the fence), so we had to rethink some things.

We are almost positive that the bear that attacked our chickens was killed on the third night by a hunter. He returned the second evening at dusk to sniff around but hasn’t been seen since. It’s rare for multiple bears of that size to be in a small area where we live, but still possible. We are hoping to have enough time to prepare before another bear finds us. We were prepared to kill him the third night since we had heard that he would continue to return to eat any new chickens, our koi fish, get into sheds, house, etc. but we were called by a neighbor who knew of the bear hunt kill nearby.

Thanks for the advice on the feed and good luck with your bear situation!

We haven’t seen the bear in about six weeks. I don’t think it would he hibernating just yet, but still, I thought we would have seen it by now. Everyone is afraid of the game warden around here. Even though it’s legal to kill a bear destroying your property, perhaps someone else killed it and didn’t tell anyone. Currently it is bear season too, but I haven’t heard of anyone who’s been successful. There are multiple bears in the area for sure.

I don’t love the nails on the coop. I’ve bumped them a few times, but I don’t love dead chickens too.

 

[Sundog24]

We haven’t seen the bear in about six weeks. I don’t think it would he hibernating just yet, but still, I thought we would have seen it by now. Everyone is afraid of the game warden around here. Even though it’s legal to kill a bear destroying your property, perhaps someone else killed it and didn’t tell anyone. Currently it is bear season too, but I haven’t heard of anyone who’s been successful. There are multiple bears in the area for sure.

I don’t love the nails on the coop. I’ve bumped them a few times, but I don’t love dead chickens too.

I hate that the game warden has everyone scared. They don’t do much here unless there is a complaint or dead/injured animals left behind. Hopefully he has moved on!