hello - help needed please - new mom

Date sort Score sort
diditotaro

diditotaro

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jun 23, 2014
15
5
26
I recently started my new back yard flock about a month ago - 10 girls ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months old of all varities
- 2 easter eggers- 2 black french marans...2 black americana...2 austrolopes and 2 banty silkie girls... then 2 weeks later added 2 - 1 yr old red sex links and a favorelle plus a picked on sweet quite favorelle rooster.....
Everyone gets along fine...they have a big coop - 6ft high x...8ft long x6 ft wide that is 3ft off the ground for shelter under the coop is enclosed in a 300ft fenced in pasture where they can pick free range daily....I provide layer crumble in the coop 24/7 plus every mornin bring out a plate of oatmeal...raisins....6 slices of bread and any fruit remains or remains from dinner last night. i also put out 2 med sized plates under coop of chick feed for the youngers ones as well as corn so the variety is there as well as the abundence!

My question is that these 14 small birds eat more than my darn 85 pd lab! As soon as I come home at night the chicks want bird seed and more food....more corn...the they eat like wolverines...I kind of thought with them ranging all day they would eat less not more..in addition to all the above...I am clearing thru a 50 lb bag of crumble 8-10 days..

All this and the 3 older girls are only laying 1 egg a day between them???? i clean the coop out every morning to keep it as clean as i can...I use sand which is wonderful for easy scoop up and have 4 nesting boxes that are the same size etc as all boxes I've seen at stores..4 nesting boxes have straw for nesting...I don't get it...their set up is pretty posh but next to no eggs and they eat like wilder beasts....very costly way to get fresh eggs I now think....I just wasn't planning on spending $200-250 a month on food for the chickens

What am I doing wrong

Donna


1000
 
Welcome to BYC
frow.gif
Glad you joined us! I think your chickens may not be the only ones eating the feed. Rodents and wild birds can take care of vast amounts of chicken food when given the chance. Is your feed accessible to other critters?
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! X2, a lot of things like to eat chicken feed, wild birds and rats/mice are common culprits. Chickens love treats, how enthusiastically they respond to treats doesn't really mean they are hungry, just that they like it better than their regular food. With the egg laying, chickens don't like change and moving them to a new home will often stop them from laying for a few weeks or months, and some breeds just lay better than others depending on what your older girls are. There is a nice thread on various reasons why chickens aren't laying https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


X3 Something else is getting into the feed. And you don't want wild birds in your feed. They carry lots of disease that can destroy your flock. Squirrels can eat mountains of feed in one day too. So you need to do something about this.

Also, feeding layer feed to young chicks will harm their kidneys. So you need to get everybody on a flock raiser feed or starter feed. Then keep the oystershell in a separate container for the laying hens to eat as they need.

If you are free ranging, it is possible they are laying out in the field somewhere. So you may need to go on an easter egg hunt or keep them confined for the first part of the day so they lay in the coop boxes.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!
 
Thank you everyone!!! Really appreciate the advice.... we def have squirrels etc that make it into the pasture.... didn't even think of them
 
sumi said:
Welcome to BYC
frow.gif
Glad you joined us! I think your chickens may not be the only ones eating the feed. Rodents and wild birds can take care of vast amounts of chicken food when given the chance. Is your feed accessible to other critters?
Click to expand...

Welcome to BYC! X3 on other critters. Several decades ago I purchased some Light Brahmas and had them in a coop and chicken wire (1" mesh) run that I had built. Their food was vanishing at a prodigious rate, so one night I slipped out to the coop with a flashlight and shined a flashlight in through the coop window. Dozens of rats were in there and they scattered everywhere when the light struck them. They were sqeezing in through the openings in the chicken wire. Afterward, I replaced the chicken wire with 1/2" hardward cloth and had no more problems with rats eating the food. Good luck in getting rid of your hungry invaders (whatever kind they may be).
 
welcome-byc.gif
I agree with 2 Crows on the type of feed for them. But I also think they are getting too many extras - like the bread and corn etc. which will probably make them fatter but, won't bring about good egg production.

Something(s) are getting into your feed and not only running up bigger bills for you but, maybe also leaving disease or parasites in their wake. If you could set up a game cam you would find out just who is doing the eating.
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X3 something else is enjoying that chicken chow. Most rodents and wild birds carry disease which will harm your chickens; if not kill them.

Layer feed will damage chicks' kidneys and inner organs. Start feeding them the layer feed at 18 weeks.
Here's a link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/feeding-at-different-ages
 
It really does not look like you need more help but here is a greeting:)

welcome-byc.gif
from Washington! In our flock we have great people and it is always great to have a new member:) In our flock, we have no pecking order!

frow.gif
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom