Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Dakota seems better today. Chick-Fil-a, just ate from my hand. Aero and her sister are raiding the grapevine (no wonder I can’t find any grapes) Gizmo is practicing his crowing and Mr Wyandottey seems annoyed with the old English game chickens.

 

[TOMTE]

Advice and opinions needed. Issues are protein level & moving to non-medicated feed.

The new Buckeyes will be seven weeks old on Monday. Hatch Day was officially Monday June 2 according to Cackle. Though I suspect Shanai and one other are at least days older and could be leftover from the previous hatch week.

Protein:
For a couple of weeks now, since seeing somebody eat a feather, I’ve suspected the 18% protein medicated chick starter I’ve been feeding the Buckeyes has not really been enough protein for them. I wanted higher protein originally but could not find small bags of medicated starter with more. Two weeks ago I discovered Kalmbach makes a 50 lb bag of 20% medicated. In the above Kalmbach conversation the feed store chicks lady said unless you’re growing dual-purpose for meat 18% should be fine for egg producers. So that was an interesting take on it.

Do you feed for potential or not, and wouldn’t that ensure the best developmental situation for a body to produce eggs?

When I saw that chick /pullet eat a small cast-off feather two weeks ago I realized I had hardly ever seen any lying about, yet they’ve obviously changed their fluff several times. I attribute this to these guys, as Buckeyes, needing more protein. I saw lots of little cute feathers about with the Buff Orpingtons. Not here!

Could this behavior in chicks have another origin other than needing protein? Feather eating habit? I believe the last group of Buckeyes, from My Pet Chicken, left more chick feathers about, because I saved some, but I’m not sure how much. With the Buff Orpingtons there were tons of feathers.

I’ve been trying occasional protein supplementation. No-salt sardines seem to be the one they will eat. I found twice they actually don’t really like scrambled eggs. But I think proper protein needs to be a constant thing, in every meal, not a “treat”. I’d like to get a higher protein feed for them.

Non-Medicated feed:
So a non-medicated 24% game bird grower crumble is coming today. Hoping that it’s okay to mix and then switch them to it now. If they’ll eat it right off the bat, just make the switch. Is it a week too soon, or not soon enough? I did put dirt in with them after about ten days, and gave them fresh sod twice. They’ve had a dirt dust bath. That counts?

I have consciously delayed certain milestones, especially any interactions with the adults, by at least two weeks. Reasons: Hazel was actively sick (she’s fine now, her color is back and she’s back to her old self); my past experience with integrating everyone much earlier and Annie then getting so sick has made me gun-shy; and a big one is Isabel/Lizabel appears to be coming along, though slowly, but she is not quite as feathered-out as the others, & she shivers slightly when she’s dozed in my hands outside, and mainly what freaks me out is she displays this confounding “I’m-about-to-die” behaviour. I’m noticing her vision might be a little compromised in pecking accuracy.

They’ve been outside now on dirt occupied by chickens (a year ago, not currently) for a week, with nights back in the brooder inside, and last night was the first night out in their coop. The largest pullets have been more than ready, and wrangling them for transport back inside has gotten more difficult.

Since it was cold I ran power out there so they (Isabel, and maybe her small friend) could sit on a heating pad if they wanted. Everybody started out on the warmest part, and judging by the poops most moved to the cooler part, with some half-off it. The last Buckeye chicks liked to sit with just their breast on the warmth.

Sometimes birds eat feathers just because I'm not saying they don't need more protein but there's more than one reason for feather eating: boredom, curiosity, stress, illness... Some birds, like grebes, eat feathers to help with digestion. When my girls were young I caught them eating feathers a few times but they were otherwise healthy and growing normally. I wonder if they were using the feathers as grit, because at that time I don't think we were providing them with any.

We started with medicated grower feed, I don't remember which brand. Then once that was gone we switched right to layer feed because it's what my aunt had bought. They were still a long ways from laying at that point. Once that was gone we switched to Kalmbach 18% flock maker. So far it's been great, the chooks love it and their feathers are nice and shiny (well... I think some of them are molting right now, mainly Esme, she's a little ragged at the moment).

We brooded them inside in the morning and at night, and during the warmest part of the day we brooded them outside, so they were on dirt and grass from the start. Then once the coop was built we had them outside night and day with a heat lamp in the coop at night. I think they were about 2 or 3 weeks old at that point. I always hated the heat lamp so eventually we switched to a heating pad until they were feathered out. I think that's around the time I joined this thread!

 

[rural mouse]

Yes, or a comb coming up under it!

Ohhh, boy! Another excuse to sit with chickens!

 

[rural mouse]

Advice and opinions needed. Issues are protein level & moving to non-medicated feed.

The new Buckeyes will be seven weeks old on Monday. Hatch Day was officially Monday June 2 according to Cackle. Though I suspect Shanai and one other are at least days older and could be leftover from the previous hatch week.

Protein:
For a couple of weeks now, since seeing somebody eat a feather, I’ve suspected the 18% protein medicated chick starter I’ve been feeding the Buckeyes has not really been enough protein for them. I wanted higher protein originally but could not find small bags of medicated starter with more. Two weeks ago I discovered Kalmbach makes a 50 lb bag of 20% medicated. In the above Kalmbach conversation the feed store chicks lady said unless you’re growing dual-purpose for meat 18% should be fine for egg producers. So that was an interesting take on it.

Do you feed for potential or not, and wouldn’t that ensure the best developmental situation for a body to produce eggs?

When I saw that chick /pullet eat a small cast-off feather two weeks ago I realized I had hardly ever seen any lying about, yet they’ve obviously changed their fluff several times. I attribute this to these guys, as Buckeyes, needing more protein. I saw lots of little cute feathers about with the Buff Orpingtons. Not here!

Could this behavior in chicks have another origin other than needing protein? Feather eating habit? I believe the last group of Buckeyes, from My Pet Chicken, left more chick feathers about, because I saved some, but I’m not sure how much. With the Buff Orpingtons there were tons of feathers.

I’ve been trying occasional protein supplementation. No-salt sardines seem to be the one they will eat. I found twice they actually don’t really like scrambled eggs. But I think proper protein needs to be a constant thing, in every meal, not a “treat”. I’d like to get a higher protein feed for them.

Non-Medicated feed:
So a non-medicated 24% game bird grower crumble is coming today. Hoping that it’s okay to mix and then switch them to it now. If they’ll eat it right off the bat, just make the switch. Is it a week too soon, or not soon enough? I did put dirt in with them after about ten days, and gave them fresh sod twice. They’ve had a dirt dust bath. That counts?

I have consciously delayed certain milestones, especially any interactions with the adults, by at least two weeks. Reasons: Hazel was actively sick (she’s fine now, her color is back and she’s back to her old self); my past experience with integrating everyone much earlier and Annie then getting so sick has made me gun-shy; and a big one is Isabel/Lizabel appears to be coming along, though slowly, but she is not quite as feathered-out as the others, & she shivers slightly when she’s dozed in my hands outside, and mainly what freaks me out is she displays this confounding “I’m-about-to-die” behaviour. I’m noticing her vision might be a little compromised in pecking accuracy.

They’ve been outside now on dirt occupied by chickens (a year ago, not currently) for a week, with nights back in the brooder inside, and last night was the first night out in their coop. The largest pullets have been more than ready, and wrangling them for transport back inside has gotten more difficult.

Since it was cold I ran power out there so they (Isabel, and maybe her small friend) could sit on a heating pad if they wanted. Everybody started out on the warmest part, and judging by the poops most moved to the cooler part, with some half-off it. The last Buckeye chicks liked to sit with just their breast on the warmth.

I try to mix feed together (chickens, dog, cat...) when changing things just to give them time to get used to it before the old is entirely gone.

I also leave the heat until they're no longer using it, then leave it another week. I don't know how they feel, so am trusting each one to take care of that themselves.

 

[RoyalChick]

Advice and opinions needed. Issues are protein level & moving to non-medicated feed.

The new Buckeyes will be seven weeks old on Monday. Hatch Day was officially Monday June 2 according to Cackle. Though I suspect Shanai and one other are at least days older and could be leftover from the previous hatch week.

Protein:
For a couple of weeks now, since seeing somebody eat a feather, I’ve suspected the 18% protein medicated chick starter I’ve been feeding the Buckeyes has not really been enough protein for them. I wanted higher protein originally but could not find small bags of medicated starter with more. Two weeks ago I discovered Kalmbach makes a 50 lb bag of 20% medicated. In the above Kalmbach conversation the feed store chicks lady said unless you’re growing dual-purpose for meat 18% should be fine for egg producers. So that was an interesting take on it.

Do you feed for potential or not, and wouldn’t that ensure the best developmental situation for a body to produce eggs?

When I saw that chick /pullet eat a small cast-off feather two weeks ago I realized I had hardly ever seen any lying about, yet they’ve obviously changed their fluff several times. I attribute this to these guys, as Buckeyes, needing more protein. I saw lots of little cute feathers about with the Buff Orpingtons. Not here!

Could this behavior in chicks have another origin other than needing protein? Feather eating habit? I believe the last group of Buckeyes, from My Pet Chicken, left more chick feathers about, because I saved some, but I’m not sure how much. With the Buff Orpingtons there were tons of feathers.

I’ve been trying occasional protein supplementation. No-salt sardines seem to be the one they will eat. I found twice they actually don’t really like scrambled eggs. But I think proper protein needs to be a constant thing, in every meal, not a “treat”. I’d like to get a higher protein feed for them.

Non-Medicated feed:
So a non-medicated 24% game bird grower crumble is coming today. Hoping that it’s okay to mix and then switch them to it now. If they’ll eat it right off the bat, just make the switch. Is it a week too soon, or not soon enough? I did put dirt in with them after about ten days, and gave them fresh sod twice. They’ve had a dirt dust bath. That counts?

I have consciously delayed certain milestones, especially any interactions with the adults, by at least two weeks. Reasons: Hazel was actively sick (she’s fine now, her color is back and she’s back to her old self); my past experience with integrating everyone much earlier and Annie then getting so sick has made me gun-shy; and a big one is Isabel/Lizabel appears to be coming along, though slowly, but she is not quite as feathered-out as the others, & she shivers slightly when she’s dozed in my hands outside, and mainly what freaks me out is she displays this confounding “I’m-about-to-die” behaviour. I’m noticing her vision might be a little compromised in pecking accuracy.

They’ve been outside now on dirt occupied by chickens (a year ago, not currently) for a week, with nights back in the brooder inside, and last night was the first night out in their coop. The largest pullets have been more than ready, and wrangling them for transport back inside has gotten more difficult.

Since it was cold I ran power out there so they (Isabel, and maybe her small friend) could sit on a heating pad if they wanted. Everybody started out on the warmest part, and judging by the poops most moved to the cooler part, with some half-off it. The last Buckeye chicks liked to sit with just their breast on the warmth.

I am by no means an expert, but there are some good feed threads on BYC and a couple of people worth following on the subject. Particularly U_Stormcrow and Perris.
You could even create a thread and tag the two of them. They are both quite responsive and also both quite direct in their language.
Anyway, having read a lot of the feed threads this is my take on your feed issue:
- 20% is a good level of protein. I think some would say above 24% is probably a bit high, although others say 'too much' protein is more a 30% sort of thing. There seems to be consensus that 20% is great. I feed 20% protein but of course the Princesses supplement with bugs and I give them scraps which are often lower protein. So mine get +/- 20%.
- You really don't need medicated feed. Again, views differ, but many would say you don't need it ever and just treat if they get a problem. Others say give very young chicks medicated when they first encounter the great outdoors. Anyway, by now, yours really don't need medicated feed and as medicated feed works by blocking one of the B vitamins, you may even be better off without medicated so they don't get any deficiencies.
As I said, not an expert, but my 2cents worth.
I feed Kalmbach 20% non-medicated - the feather one when everyone is laying as it has extra calcium, and the flock one during winter when they stop.

 

[TOMTE]

 

[drstratton]

Dakota seems better today. Chick-Fil-a, just ate from my hand. Aero and her sister are raiding the grapevine (no wonder I can’t find any grapes) Gizmo is practicing his crowing and Mr Wyandottey seems annoyed with the old English game chickens.

I'm glad she's doing better!
We have grapes growing over our enclosed chicken pen. My girls love them, they would jump for grapes... had to be quick to save my fingers...lol

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

Caturday

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

Went to Community Aid yesterday and found this... Shh, don't let your chickens see this...

 

[featherhead007]

I know that Chick-Fil-A has a gaping hole in his head, and it’s hard to look at him sometimes. But love is love, and he needs all the love he can get. His little life hasn’t started out so well. But now he’s coming around a bit. He’s trusting me enough to eat from my hand.