How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[gemmat820]

6 eggs! 2 duck and 4 straight to holding!

 

[Smokerbill]

5 today. I gave the girls a big pile of pea vines, a frozen zucchini and three leaf lettuce plants for a snack.

 

[Winderdear]

Hi, yeah 1 tablespoon is maximum, it'll be enough for 5. You can't overdose chickens on healthy herbs, there are some to stay away from. When I get some spare time I'll do an article of my 'short' experience of using natural additives for heath. I've now owned chickens for a whole year Nope, never had them before.. I've had to learn blimmen fast.

My mumma Jess has had pneumonia since May and I rang the vet which I worked for 30 yrs ago, and they said without antibiotics she wouldn't survive an they recommended Mr google, so I searched for hours while she struggled to breathe and I found some old information on herbs an spices, then I decided to look up antibacterial herbs and spices safe for chickens. I already knew about basil and cinnamon. It said a tablespoon of each per day, I think for 5 chickens, but I use more. I mix it as a mash and feed it morning and night but when its cold they get hot mash for lunch.

I use about a tablespoon of each herb, but depends how many chickens.

For pneumonia, I make a around 750g mash which lasts a day an half for Jess.

Layer mash
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Cinnamon
Garlic or ginger * Never both together, it'll make them sick*
I add Rosemary when I remember to buy it.

Mint and chili flakes are also good for breathing issues.

Dried herbs digest faster than fresh and for some reason they're apparently more potent.

Ok, How can you get away with such a small amount of feed??? I feed 3kg a day plus their mash. And they get cut grass 3 x a day (none in their run). They don't waste much, birds get some.
I've got 7 pullets, 2 retired, 1 roo, mumma but she's still on wet food. I'm going through 18 kg pellets, 10kg wheat, 5kg mash a week..

Thank you! I’m glad to hear that you found an herbal remedy for mumma Jess and I will certainly note it down for the future. I’d happily read an article if you have more herbal remedies to share!

As for feeding my girls so little, I technically give them 1/4 cup more feed than my bag recommended at one time. I use Scratch and Peck Layer Mash, and now the bag doesn’t tell you anything about quantities per chicken, just to “keep feeders full”. I remember it saying 1/2 a cup per adult chicken per day.

I soak my feed on Monday mornings to incorporate the Molly’s Herbals preventative worm treatment, so I just use a pie plate per chicken rather than a feeder, and split the food accordingly whether it’s soaked or not. They tend to leave some of their food behind, like the flax meal and split peas, so I’m not sure they need as much as I’m giving them, though they make a fuss at me when it’s less than 1-3/4 cups total. They do also get 1-2 hours of outdoor foraging time, and some garden stuff, black soldier fly larva and frozen veggies from time to time. I’ve only had chickens just over a year too, so I’m not sure if I’m doing it totally right. My girls seem healthy though!

 

[Tattersail]

3 today! Juin and Août peacefully shared the nest box, which was nice to see

I bring my nearly 4 week old chicks out to the big girls’ run everyday for about an hour, separated in a smaller caged area. Juin seems aggressive toward them, she’s made a few pecks through the bars at them, but the Marans are sweet and curious so far. Juin is bottom of the pecking order as it is, and is probably desirous of making these three her underlings. This is my first time introducing new flock members, and I’m trying to let them sort it out so long as there isn’t any real threat of injury.

@Tattersail How did your flock integration go? I hope they all got along as well as could be expected!

8 eggs today.
The morning went pretty much as expected. There was much squawking - I was quite impressed. The biggest of the babies decided to be brave (or foolhardy) and wander out of the box by her lonesome and got beat up by Emma (formerly known as Clueless). It was harrowing to watch but I went with the "no blood, no foul " rule since that's just the way things are supposed to be. It wasn't as bad when the other 3 came out. Emma is also at the bottom of the current pecking order so I suppose she's just showing off that the lowest rung is no longer hers. The others seem to be ignoring them for the most part. As of this evening the 4 are still huddled together in a corner of the coop, it's a bit heartbreaking. Hopefully it gets better soon, I like seeing all of them together.

 

[chrissynemetz]

2 today.

 

[akroberts1085]

I got 3 eggs today. I think the heat is getting to the girls. My introduction for my 4 little girls was to block off the small hutch that I have and just allow them to try to get acquainted through the fence but now that they're all together Darlin is head queen and she will peck the little girls in the back. There's no bleeding but I really wish she would stop bullying the little girls.

 

[Smokerbill]

Again, 5.

 

[Marle94]

I’ve been out of town housesitting for ten days. Today sis says she got two Golden Comet eggs. And a white Banty egg yesterday.

 

[chrissynemetz]

2 again.

 

[Winderdear]

2 yesterday, from Juin and Juillet