I'm getting two 5 mos old pullets. What should I be feeding them?

[tj74roberts]

I'm purchasing two 5 mos old pullets. One is a Chocolate Orpington and the other is a Bantam Easter Egger. I purchased "grower" feed (Neither of them are laying yet. I figured one was a late bloomer and the other one is tiny so I can definitely get her some oyster shell for calcium is she starts laying.)for them is there going to be a problem? I also purchased meal worms (treat), scratch (treat) and grit. Not sure if I need anything else beside fresh veggies and love. Can anyone help a sister out? Thank you for everything.

P.s. I'm very excited about them as they are my first chickens.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Congrats

The starter is alright for now and oyster shell is a great idea. Once they start to lay for sure I would switch to a layer feed plus oyster shell and grit...and healthy snacks Just make sure you don't overdue the scratch. Treat it like candy. It's alright here and there, but you don't want to feed large quantities every day.

Good luck with your first chickens!

 

[tj74roberts]

Congrats

The starter is alright for now and oyster shell is a great idea. Once they start to lay for sure I would switch to a layer feed plus oyster shell and grit...and healthy snacks Just make sure you don't overdue the scratch. Treat it like candy. It's alright here and there, but you don't want to feed large quantities every day.

Good luck with your first chickens!

Are you saying that the grower is no good. My hubby will shoot me if I bought the wrong stuff, lol

 

[BayBay Peepers]

No, I didn't mean that. I meant it's fine for now, but when you see them laying it's ok to switch to a layer feed.
When I have grower left over I feed it until it's gone. Once it's almost out I start mixing in my layer feed gradually and then switch over.
It will not kill them to have the grower feed.

 

[tj74roberts]

No, I didn't mean that. I meant it's fine for now, but when you see them laying it's ok to switch to a layer feed.
When I have grower left over I feed it until it's gone. Once it's almost out I start mixing in my layer feed gradually and then switch over.
It will not kill them to have the grower feed.

Thank you so much for your info. I am so excited I can't hardly stand it!!! I want everything to be perfect when they get home. I am building a coop and run as we speak. The entire thing is 16' L x 6' W x 7'H. the coop which is at one end is 6' L x 4' W x 5' H. And I'm getting 6-8 feed store (Ideal hatchery) chicks the end of February. I live in town so this is pretty big stuff where I live and I can't wait.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Awesome! I remember how excited I was for my first batch. I ordered them 4 months out and thought I would explode haha

 

[tj74roberts]

Awesome! I remember how excited I was for my first batch. I ordered them 4 months out and thought I would explode haha

I've waited about 3 years now. My hubby gifted me a chicken coop for my birthday (April) last year and he wasn't really expecting to build one (he wanted to buy a pre-fab one), and it took me all this time to convince him that that would just not do because we wanted happy hens, so they needed more space. I agreed to let him wait until fall to begin the build of it all and now the weather is just not cooperating with us. We can build in this weather easy enough, but we want it all painted so we thought painting as we go would be the answer but it is taking sooo long. So here it is almost a year later and I'm just now getting birds. But these two are staying in a very large 4.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 dog crate (with free range time in the evening) in our work shop until it is all complete. And, I got my tub for my brooder set-up so Ill be making that myself and getting it already for babies. I'm so trying to stay patient.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Now that is a true test of patience!

 

[tj74roberts]

Now that is a true test of patience!

Yep! It's been a journey that's for sure. Thank you again for all of your help.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Not a problem. Feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of. There are some very knowledgeable and helpful people on this site.