Getting started

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Wow, Michael, you always come through! I will take your advice and start small. I am thinking 4 to start. By the way, what do you put in your nest boxes? Shavings or straw? Thanks again!!!
 
xcop said:
Wow, Michael, you always come through! I will take your advice and start small. I am thinking 4 to start. By the way, what do you put in your nest boxes? Shavings or straw? Thanks again!!!
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I use pine shavings in the nest box. Straw sometimes has a tendency to mat and the hollow stems can harbor mites. Pine shavings don't have these issues. Be sure and use pine shavings though, not cedar shavings as cedar shavings are toxic to chickens.
 
Thanks again. I suspected you did not use straw for just those reasons. Besides, if I was a chicken I would find shavings that don't stab me far more comfortable. I am almost finished cleaning out the coops. My farmer friend doesn't know what kind they are. I am dumping them in the pine forest as he says they will degrade. I hope he's right. I will ask him if he can make the ladder roost you suggested - shouldn't there be something underneath it to catch the droppings?
 
xcop said:
Thanks again. I suspected you did not use straw for just those reasons. Besides, if I was a chicken I would find shavings that don't stab me far more comfortable. I am almost finished cleaning out the coops. My farmer friend doesn't know what kind they are. I am dumping them in the pine forest as he says they will degrade. I hope he's right. I will ask him if he can make the ladder roost you suggested - shouldn't there be something underneath it to catch the droppings?
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You're welcome. Having something underneath the roost to catch the droppings certainly makes them easier to clean out. :o)
 
Just to be clear, did you advise placing hardware cloth under the run inside it as well, or just on the perimeter? I do appreciate your suggestions.
 
xcop said:
Just to be clear, did you advise placing hardware cloth under the run inside it as well, or just on the perimeter? I do appreciate your suggestions.
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Either way should work. Putting hardware cloth under the entire run is foolproof where digging predators are concerned. However if you run a strip around the outside perimeter and cover it with some dirt or rock (or both), it should keep digging predators out. Predators always try digging at the base of the vertical run wall and I haven't seen one yet that is smart enough to start digging several feet out from the run wall to tunnel underneath covered hardware cloth around the outside perimeter.
 
Kindly advise on the feed i would need for the household chickens. Also let me know where i can get the feed. I am looking at a form for household chickens.

I was told i will need termites to feed the chickens. Kindly advise.

Many thanks in advance.
 
Khomotso said:
Kindly advise on the feed i would need for the household chickens. Also let me know where i can get the feed. I am looking at a form for household chickens.

I was told i will need termites to feed the chickens. Kindly advise.

Many thanks in advance.
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Chickens don't have to have termites to feed on (although they would enjoy eating them). Commercial feeds are specially formulated to meet all of a chicken's nutritional needs. There is a good article on feeding chickens at different ages at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/feeding-chickens-at-different-ages.html.
 
Thanks Michael, I'm good to go! Now if I can just get someone who will build the run without making me wait forever! I want it now! It's like pulling hens' teeth!!
 

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