Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

Is it chick age conferring resilience by certain weeks of age, or length of exposure to the local coccidiosis strains (I had read two weeks) conferring a level of immunity gained, that is the guideline here? It's not clear to me.
But as RC mentioned, there is the school of thought which throws all that out and says do without and treat if they get sick.

I honestly don't know much about this. Since my aunt and uncle bought everything initially, they started with medicated feed, I'm guessing because that's what the person who helped them at the feed store told them was best. If I had any say in it, I wouldn't have used medicated feed at all, and if/when we get more chicks in the future I won't be using it.

 

[rural mouse]

Yes, they would be, and I've kept in mind your mention of this before, trying to think it through. By my (possibly screwy) thinking they weren't exactly overdue because real exposure itself to the wild was delayed, though they did have some outside dirt with them in the brooder relatively early on (other contributing factors: Hazel sick, Isabel's fainting spells).

Is it chick age conferring resilience by certain weeks of age, or length of exposure to the local coccidiosis strains (I had read two weeks) conferring a level of immunity gained, that is the guideline here? It's not clear to me.
But as RC mentioned, there is the school of thought which throws all that out and says do without and treat if they get sick.
@RoyalChick @rural mouse @TOMTE @bgmathteach

I'm not sure on that. With this batch of chicks, they're not vaccinated for anything and they're not on medicated feed. 1. The medicated stuff I could find here has a lower protein content than the all flock pellets I have for the adults. (18 vs 20%) 2. I found all flock crumbles with the 20% of the pellets and I knew I wasn't going to be able to feed separately without some major fence building (don't have the time and negates the efforts for broody raised in the flock).

Currently, what's going in the feed bucket in the coop is a mix of the pellets and the crumbles. I don't have the adults trying to hog the baby food and there isn't "more desirable" food "over there". Mamas will break up pellets if necessary, but so far they haven't needed to that I've seen. During one of my observation periods. I was seeing chicks actively hunting moths who's bodies were similar sized to the pellets. Are full sized pellets more difficult for babies to eat? Yes, if that's exclusively what they eat. Can they eat them? Yes, as long as they have plenty of other options.

They've breeched the Garden fence

and are ranging all the way to the woodpile and the slopes below the coop. They're dining on lots besides the 20% protein commercial feeds.

somethings on the leaf is rather popular.

Have I done medicated feed before? Yes. Will I in future? Maybe. Depends upon what's going on here and what I can find protein-wise.

 

[rural mouse]

Such an adorable kitty! Lovely diluted orange color.



What a cute little crest!



OMG, this made me suddenly realize something. I have two roosters now! Do I need to switch to a lower calcium feed when they are all grown? Right now, because of the different age chicks mixed in with the adults, I have been feeding a mix of:

Nutrena non-medicated chick feed (18% protein, Calcium minimum 0.80%, maximum 1.30%) and

Nutrena Feather Fixer (used to be . 18% protein, now 20%, Calcium minimum 3.25%, maximum 3.75%)

I have always fed at least 18% protein in any feed I have used, I never liked the 16% feeds. And I always keep oyster shell calcium and occasional egg shells available. Have a few hens who still lay the ossacional thin shell, but not many.

My primary feeds used to be either:
Nutrena Hearty Hen (18% protein, Calcium minimum 3.7%, maximum 4.7%), or
the Feather Fixer (used to be . 18% protein, now 20%, Calcium minimum 3.25%, maximum 3.75%).

Which one I used depended on which one was the freshest when I would pick it up at Tractor Supply or the local feed store. I have several hens who seem to have molting issues or are being picked on because they always have areas of thin/missing feathers).

When I am ready to stop mixing in the chick starter (about 6 more weeks because of the lavenders), should I go to Nutrena All Flock instead (20% protein, Calcium minimum 1.4%, maximum 1.9%)??? I like the higher protein, but worry about more thin eggshells. But also don’t want my two Roos to have issues from the calcium in the other feeds.

Side note, I tried the following food for the bantams when they were smaller:
Nutrena Silkie & Ornamental Chick Starter Grower 24% Micro Clean Crumb (24% protein, Calcium minimum .75%, maximum 1.25%)
But even though the little micro pellets were supposed to be made for bantams with smaller beaks, I found my smallest ones seemed to have trouble and were not eating it. Which was too bad, it was such a nice clean feed with no “dust”. They make a layer version (22% protein, Calcium minimum 2.6%, maximum 3.6%), but I have never seen it locally. Which is too bad, looks like a great feed for any size hen, with those nice clean pellets.

I went with an All-flock (haven't seen the micro pellets, like that idea)

1.5-2% calcium

1.4-1.9% calcium

(Sorry about the wonky angles)

@ChicoryBlue these both say for 8/7 weeks and older (I think because the ALL say medicated feed foe younger than that).

Calcium on the side.

 

[SimpleJenn]

The ladies all laid eggs last night or this morning. It's a good thing they did not sell after all

Porch!
The hole on the right side there, that's exactly where we planned on cutting the hole for the auto door. So it works out!

Very nice and roomy inside.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Got the hardware cloth edging partway done, ran out of cloth to do the last two bits. Hubby said to leave the front alone until my autodoor comes in.
I have bits and pieces of cloth to do the outside of most of the windows I believe. Hubby is hanging the roost ladder now
Putting screws in is my favorite part

 

[rural mouse]

Baby update

Looks like another will have a crest

the one at the back. The twin in front could still pop one.

Have some cheeky little devils

saw 3 try this

and the birds on a log

 

[Ponypoor]

She needs to have a chat with @Ponypoor

Second thoughts that isn't such a good idea

I would love to have some ‘bag-pipes’ (aka Guinea fowl) but they are good fliers and they would be over on my neighbour’s taking Tippy and Butterecotch with them!

 

[Ponypoor]

Baby update

Looks like another will have a crest
View attachment 4179045the one at the back. The twin in front could still pop one.

Have some cheeky little devilsView attachment 4179044saw 3 try this

View attachment 4179043and the birds on a log

It’s a playground extraordinaire

 

[featherhead007]

I took some pictures today. This is Chick-fil-a and the hole in his head. To be honest, he should have died from such trauma, but he’s a strong beautiful little guy. Very playful and is trying to get along normally:

 

[featherhead007]

More of the extended tribe: