- Sep 25, 2013
- 205
- 5
- 96
I think they are Black Breasted Red English Bantams( A mouthful,right?). Going on that thought , what is a more common name for them? Like on this list https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/byc-index-of-abbreviations. How much should I feed them? The bag said 1/2 lb per 100 pounds and .005 (on the premise they are 1 lb) does not sound right. I need to build a coop still (<---Bad chicken owner) and keep them in the metal cage in a cat carrier with pine shavings at night with the metal cage padlocked outside. I did reading before I got chickens, but am still really unsure on what is best for them.If it rains, I put them under a large tarp thing we have set up (almost like a carport with a tarp on top). I have had them since Sunday. I have some old items from when my sister had chickens(lamps, feeders, waterers, etc) so I am using that. I know I a noob on this, but would rather have it known far and wide, and get helpful advice than try and convince myself I know what I am doing until the day I find them without heads or something. They seem to have gotten used to me but they do not like the dogs. I keep them in the wire cage without the bottom to scavenge around (I moved them to a patch of grass and throw them cracked corn). I am planning on building a run, but am not sure on what to do. Do I need a bottom to prevent predators from eating them when I am away(I put them up at night), perhaps some pvc with chicken wire? I am going to build a nest box for them soon. I am not super rich (Who is that raises their own chickens?) so I think the online coops are too expensive and I have heard horror stories about them (more for looks than use). I noticed the sides of their legs are a bit pink, almost like they were rubbed or something. Are they bugs or something? It is shades of pink to red(I thought there was blood for a second on one leg) and they sometimes stand on one foot (Is that just what they do anyway?) their legs felt cool, so was it just the blood vessels close to the skin to give off heat or something? I am not sure if they had the mareks vaccination or not (Stupid of me, again, totally forgot to ask, but I do have their phone number, will call today). The bottom of the cage has large square holes and if you picked up the cage, they can easily squeeze through. Is is because they do not like standing on the wire? I was also thinking of letting them free range, but not sure if they would come back or be eaten or something.... lots of things to say for sure on this. I plan on building a small coop for them, anyone have good ideas? The hen is Wanda and the rooster is Guy. I live in East Texas, so that might help on some things for some tips and more common predators and whatnot. I am raising them for pets (They do not even seem slightly big enough to eat or have very big eggs, though I was told they are excellent brooders). I also heard they are good fliers (As well as a chicken can, rapid flapping and long gliding). There are a ton wild hogs in the area, as well as a great many raccoon and I've seen a decent number of opossums. The land is mostly sand with , around the house, grass. The uncleared land is pine trees, oak, birch, vines and shrubs under a blanket of pine needles. I suppose anything edited onto this (more questions or adding clarity to what I have already said) will be after here perhaps....Yeah, thanks for looking and hope I can get some help!
