First timer keeping layers

[Jock]

Hi, I've just started keeping layers, which I bought as chicks, and they are now 9 weeks old and seem to be doing well.

I've never kept chickens before so i surfed a lot online, especially read Backyard Chickens forums, gathering as much info as possible.

As a coop I rented a neighbouring 3 bed house as it was cheap ( I have 300 chicks ) and am currently fencing the garden area for them to use as a run.
I thought about planting spinach all over the garden, which is about a 1/4 acre.

For bedding I am using rice husk, as I live near lots of rice farms, and is free.d

The initial starter mix I made up from a bag of starter 45kg
added 20kg of ground maize,
10 kg of ground dried whitebait,
10kg of ground sunflower seeds
10kg of ground and dried nile perch carcass

which they ate for the first 5 weeks, with water alternately mixed with antibiotics and vitamins.

They are now eating a feed consisting of;
45kg layers mash
20kg ground maize
10kg ground dried whitebait

As its warm here, I don't need heat lamps or such like, but I did cover windows with clear plastic up to halfway to keep it cozy, and they all seem happy.
Inside I've put some bamboo lengths and this tree trunks for them to climb around and perch on.

Looking forward to my first batches of eggs hopefully in the next few months.

I'd like advice or comments as to if I'm heading in the right direction.

Regards,
Jock

 

[Judy]

I have 9 hens who have about a 70' X 70' yard. They keep the grass cropped back to the soil or pulled. Yours will either eat the spinach seed or eat the plants as they sprout, if they have access. The will love eating it if it is grown before you turn them into the garden. Unless their outdoor area is quite large, they will keep it eaten of any vegetation that they eat.

The "rule of thumb" formula is an outdoor space of 10 sq ft per chicken, or 3000 sq ft for 300 birds, or approximately 60' X 52' if my math is on target this morning. They will have that stripped in a atter of days. This figure is supposed to be the minimum required to prevent severe pecking and cannibalism.

This is an excellent article on space:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

Sorry, I can't help with the feed. I've never looked into formulating my own.

 

[Jock]

Hi, thanks for that info.
The front area outside is quite large, as is surrounding.
If I used the whole garden area it would be just under an acre, almost 40,000 sq feet.
I think i'll section it off and use it each section every few days as it takes 2 weeks for spinach to reach size.
Im hoping this or next month to increase my flock with another 300 chicks.
We'll see how it goes..
j