First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[mamatink7]

I feel so silly for posting so many times, but one of my chicks is panting in the incubator, and i don't know what to do! Please please help!!

check temp, put ice in waterer perhaps?

 

[mamatink7]

Feed brand????
We have been using purina medicated till 8 wks then non-medicated (nutrena & purina) at 16wks I'll change to the layer feed. BUT I'm wanting to do the purina layer with oyster shell & omega 3. However there is nutrena layer out there....WHICH IS BEST FOR LAYING? Purina vs Nutrena

 

[Jensownzoo]

Feed brand????
We have been using purina medicated till 8 wks then non-medicated (nutrena & purina) at 16wks I'll change to the layer feed. BUT I'm wanting to do the purina layer with oyster shell & omega 3. However there is nutrena layer out there....WHICH IS BEST FOR LAYING? Purina vs Nutrena

Honestly, either one would work. I use Nutrena Naturewise because I can usually find a good deal on it, plus it's always supposed to be vegetarian which is important to me. I do ferment the feed regardless and am getting a dozen eggs per day from 20 pullets that are 6 months old (not all are laying) and allowed to roam in the yard during the day. They get fresh veggie and fruit snacks daily and the occasional handful of live mealworms.

 

[mamatink7]

Honestly, either one would work. I use Nutrena Naturewise because I can usually find a good deal on it, plus it's always supposed to be vegetarian which is important to me. I do ferment the feed regardless and am getting a dozen eggs per day from 20 pullets that are 6 months old (not all are laying) and allowed to roam in the yard during the day. They get fresh veggie and fruit snacks daily and the occasional handful of live mealworms.

thank you. How do you ferment the feed and why? I've got a few more weeks before switching (they just turned 12wks Wednesday). I'm soooo excited for them to start laying. I've got 20 also, but found out one is a roo and 4 of them are 9 wks. They won't lay before 16wks will they? I've got BA EE BO GC all 12 weeks-of course BCM is also but roo The other 4 are BO GC GLW. Just trying to plan or just keep an eye out.

 

[Jensownzoo]

thank you. How do you ferment the feed and why? I've got a few more weeks before switching (they just turned 12wks Wednesday). I'm soooo excited for them to start laying. I've got 20 also, but found out one is a roo and 4 of them are 9 wks. They won't lay before 16wks will they? I've got BA EE BO GC all 12 weeks-of course BCM is also but roo The other 4 are BO GC GLW. Just trying to plan or just keep an eye out.

I was surprised with an egg at 15 1/2 weeks! They were fed starter/grower for another week until I could get to the feed store for layer feed, it's not super-critical. Eventually I think everyone will be on all-flock with a hopper of calcium supplement for the layers to munch on if they choose.

Fermenting the feed is super-easy and offers a lot of benefits. It prevents waste since you can use even the powdered bits in the bag plus they don't tend to scratch it out on the ground looking for that perfect crumble. The fermentation process removes the anti-nutrients in the grains, allowing the bird to extract more nutrition from the same food. The microorganisms also produce additional vitamins, amino acids, and such. And finally, fermented feed is a wonderful probiotic...scientifically proven to increase gut health and immunity, which will increase the lifetime productivity of the bird.

Here's a good FAQ about how to do it in a non-fussy way: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[mamatink7]

I was surprised with an egg at 15 1/2 weeks! They were fed starter/grower for another week until I could get to the feed store for layer feed, it's not super-critical. Eventually I think everyone will be on all-flock with a hopper of calcium supplement for the layers to munch on if they choose.

Fermenting the feed is super-easy and offers a lot of benefits. It prevents waste since you can use even the powdered bits in the bag plus they don't tend to scratch it out on the ground looking for that perfect crumble. The fermentation process removes the anti-nutrients in the grains, allowing the bird to extract more nutrition from the same food. The microorganisms also produce additional vitamins, amino acids, and such. And finally, fermented feed is a wonderful probiotic...scientifically proven to increase gut health and immunity, which will increase the lifetime productivity of the bird.

Here's a good FAQ about how to do it in a non-fussy way: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

thank you so much for your help.

 

[magicstorm]

I feel so silly for posting so many times, but one of my chicks is panting in the incubator, and i don't know what to do! Please please help!!

You might want to post this type of question on a hatching thread to get the quickest response. Wish I could help.

 

[Buttercup101]

You might want to post this type of question on a hatching thread to get the quickest response. Wish I could help.

Thanks!

 

[Ainee]

[COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR] My first flock of girls are getting so big! They are still living in the horse barn though - DH got tired of building the coop on his weekends home from out of state business, and my handyman hasn't been able to work us into his schedule yet... Definitely should have taken the advice to finish the build before bringing the girls home!

So pretty! Is that a Speckled Sussex in the front?

 

[ladynewtochicks]

Yay! I just got my first squat over here

my BA Betty aka jerk chicken (she was a feisty chick

) can't wait for those precious eggs! She's 17 weeks!