I just don't know what I am doing. I want to ask more questions, get more help, but I've been on tis ting for three hours now and haven't figured out how to do it except start over. I started reading about feeding chickens and am scared to tears for my girls. They were 10 to 12 weeks old, I think, when I got them. I was told they were started on layer pellets and to keep them on them. Now everything I read says I'm destroying their kidneys. I do know that after three months very few are showing a lot of signs of maturity although they are growing well. A couple seem to have very loose, although normal color, poop. They've been on layer mash and for the first week that was all as I kept them in the coop until they had adjusted. The yard had grass when I turned them out and they ate a lot of it and also a lot of the ants crawling around it. I have not given them any grit as we've very gravelly soil with a lot of granite in it so I figure they are probably getting plenty. I started feeding them grains, rolled corn mixed with tritical, barley, rye and now what my husband calls "field grain" and I call unknown. I also, in June when it turned so hot started giving them fresh grass every day. With 12 pullets I've been giving them about 3/4 tobacco can of the scratch grain and lots of grass or other garden greens (cauliflower that failed to flower, some weeds, herbs, lettuce) and when we had any, left over pancakes or biscuits (not very often). I'm so afraid I've done permanent damage to their kidneys or something....I don't like to use my computer for more than a word processor so haven't really tried to research for help before but I'm so concerned with their health now (although they seem to have plenty of energy and look good but have shed a lot of feathers, mostly fluff which I blamed on maturing and the heat). I finally signed up for Backyard Chickens but now I can't really figure out how to use it besides I have very little spare time and days like today I hate myself and the computer because I've wasted so much time and just worried myself more over my girls. I know I've written a book here and if someone can tell me how to get information, questions answered, posts done without babbling on please answer or if you're an administrator e-mail me some help. I'll be forever grateful.
Nell the Novice
Nell the Novice
