Feeding my chickens I'm new to this

[S_Robnett]

Thanks to everyone for being so nice and helping me out. I wish there were classes offered to me about these things. I've lived in the city in Philadelphia, PA almost my whole life, so now living out here in Louisiana in the sticks theres a lot to learn about animals and not many people willing to teach. And some who are willing to teach give scary not so good information.

 

[TooCheep]

You certainly aren't the only one in that general situation. I started out cold as well. No background, friends or acquaintances with chicken-raising knowledge. Did a lot of reading of books and on BYC before I dove in which definitely helped, but still bumbled a few things.

Just read and ask questions, read and ask more questions. The best way to move forward.

 

[ValerieJ]

Thanks to everyone for being so nice and helping me out. I wish there were classes offered to me about these things. I've lived in the city in Philadelphia, PA almost my whole life, so now living out here in Louisiana in the sticks theres a lot to learn about animals and not many people willing to teach. And some who are willing to teach give scary not so good information.

Same here. Transplant from the city. So, in the beginning I didn't even know what questions to ask. I made plenty of mistakes. I just hatched out my first egg, only one survived in the incubator. Then the day old chick pooped green and I panicked. Turns out that's what I was supposed to be looking for. LOL

 

[S_Robnett]

Same here. Transplant from the city. So, in the beginning I didn't even know what questions to ask. I made plenty of mistakes. I just hatched out my first egg, only one survived in the incubator. Then the day old chick pooped green and I panicked. Turns out that's what I was supposed to be looking for. LOL

I'm not even going to try to incubate anything for a long time. I got an incubator at tractor supply and tried to hatch it and think I hard boiled it via steam. Then i cried because i felt like a accidental murderer. Lol

 

[HuckleberryAcres]

Wow! I’m impressed you’ve managed to keep Cornish crosses alive for 12 weeks! From what I understand they can start dying off at 8 weeks to heart failure! Also, it’s not just transplants that can have troubles. I grew up feeding my parents chickens and have made plenty of rookie mistakes with my own flock.

 

[S_Robnett]

I'I'really not sure how much they weigh but they are all bigger than a basketball and boy can they move when they see me coming.

Remember that Cornishx birds will weigh six to eight pounds each at eight weeks of age (maybe more) so eight birds x seven pounds body weight x two pounds of feed, at least, equals easily 110 pounds or more of feed. Then, these birds are still alive at twelve weeks of age. What do they weigh each? That's a lot of feed for just those eight meat birds!
Mary

These are two ingredients many on here try to avoid with their chickens. I don't go to that length of trying to find organic feed minus these ingredients. I'm happy with Purina or Dumar crumbles myself. I know my chickens are getting what they need that way.

Why are these two ingredients avoided?

 

[ValerieJ]

I'I'really not sure how much they weigh but they are all bigger than a basketball and boy can they move when they see me coming.


Why are these two ingredients avoided?

I think there are a lot of people who are allergic to them and don't eat them in other foods, therefore they don't want them in their eggs. And one person said, because she doesn't eat it, she doesn't want to feed it to her chickens.

 

[MiaS]

If you still need to build them a dusting space....

Peat moss, sand, wood ash (no chemicals) and top soil mixed together make a wonderful dusting area.[/QUO

If you still need to build them a dusting space....

Peat moss, sand, wood ash (no chemicals) and top soil mixed together make a wonderful dusting area.

I'd like to just put it out there that peat moss is a non-renewable resource so plain old dirt might be a better option mixed with the sand and ash

 

[IronFeather]

I still prefer the PVC feeder. It can be upside down candy cane shaped with the long pipe running up the outside of the pen or with it running inside the pen with an offshoot through the pen fence to fill. At chicken's bedtime, cap both the top loading opening and the bottom feeder opening. No mice will get in. No feeder is completely waste free, but this is pretty good. Always feed in the pen and never the house. Build a little roof over the feeder opening to protect from the weather during feeding time.

 

[Gab1]

Hi I'm new to raising chickens and wanted to change them off of commercial foods because the cost is slowly killing me and with the advice from the store my poor chickens ended up with bumble foot. Anyway what I wanted to ask is will feeding my chickens corn, soybean meal, a little added lime for calcium , and some fodder meat their nutritional needs or do I need to add more to the mix. I have them enclosed on the ground with some pine shavings but not so much to where they cant reach the ground and they also have a kitty pool filled with de for added dust baths when they want. Any and all information would be so great to keep them all healthy and happy.