INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kittydoc]

@EurekaChic I purchased a bag of almost pure CaCO3 (greater than 99%) sold as fertilizer at Home Depot. Haven't opened it yet, but I believe it if fairly fine and could be mixed with my regular layer feed. The elemental calcium was 31% and <1% magnesium. Since this is the same as what is in most human calcium supplements, is it safe for me to use it mixed directly into my feed? We've had some shell thinning lately, and our girls always have had oyster shell calcium available. Apparently, not all of them are going for it. We have pullets and hens ranging in age from 9 months to over 3 years.

Thanks in advance for any advice. Of all the lime products that people have talked about, I have never seen one this "pure" mentioned before.

 

[kittydoc]

@SallyinIndiana Congrats on your goat stand! We love goats, but don't have enough property. Maybe when we retire...

 

[LKShepherd]

Ok, NEWBIE question.... my girls will be arriving at the end of this week (1st chickens I will ever own as an adult & the primary care taker) ...... What is the best feed you all use and know it gives them all the nourishments they need to help them grow into healthy hens? I need help on this matter!! Best yet, anyone got a "Shopping List" of items I need to make sure I have before they come? Let me know this to see if I forgot anything...

Heat lamp (check)
Indoor cage & spot for their safety (check)

Lining for the cage - Not yet....
Food tray (check)
water tray (check)


Ok... HELP A NEWBIE PLEASE

Give me dogs, cats and ferrets, I got this... chicken's I feel so lost now! LOL

 

[kittydoc]

@LKShepherd One thing we have used over and over again as chicken owners is what we call "The Chicken Bible." The title is "The Small-Scale Poultry Flock" by Harvey Ussery. It's available on Amazon.com for about $22-23. Best money you'll ever spend. I have read over a dozen poultry books, and while some have info that "The Bible" doesn't, mostly it's the other way around.

There is also a ton of information in the BYC Learning Center tab.

Best wishes for your entry into chicken madness!

 

[LKShepherd]

@LKShepherd One thing we have used over and over again as chicken owners is what we call "The Chicken Bible." The title is "The Small-Scale Poultry Flock" by Harvey Ussery. It's available on Amazon.com for about $22-23. Best money you'll ever spend. I have read over a dozen poultry books, and while some have info that "The Bible" doesn't, mostly it's the other way around.

There is also a ton of information in the BYC Learning Center tab.

Best wishes for your entry into chicken madness!

Thanks for the information and I will plan to get that book... (seeing how I work for Amazon teheheh) however I was hoping I can get some advice and tips as well from those of you that have done this for sometime and learn from your mistakes *blush* not to mention I won't be able to get through the book before the girls are here

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Ok, NEWBIE question.... my girls will be arriving at the end of this week (1st chickens I will ever own as an adult & the primary care taker) ...... What is the best feed you all use and know it gives them all the nourishments[COLOR=660099] [/COLOR]they need to help them grow into healthy hens? I need help on this matter!! Best yet, anyone got a "Shopping List" of items I need to make sure I have before they come? Let me know this to see if I forgot anything...

Heat lamp (check)
Indoor cage & spot for their safety (check)

Lining for the cage - Not yet....
Food tray (check)
water tray (check)


Ok... HELP A NEWBIE PLEASE

Give me dogs, cats and ferrets, I got this... chicken's I feel so lost now! LOL

I feed all of my birds the same thing, which is an all flock feed. Brand doesn't really matter. It's basically the same formula as chick feed, has higher protein than layer feed, and there's no transition from starter to layer. All you have to do is offer them oyster shell on the side when they are getting close to laying. Also, if you are planning on mixing ages or having a rooster, it is better for non-laying birds because they don't get that excess calcium in their diets. Non-medicated starter works just the same and can be fed all their lives with oyster shell on the side as well.

For chicks, I personally recommend non-medicated feed anyway. The medicated part of medicated feed is usually just a low dose of amprolium, which is only to prevent coccidiosis in chicks. Amprolium is a thiamine blocker, and it's been reported that not only can chicks develop thiamine deficiency from eating medicated feed for too long, but also that the local cocci can become immune to the effects of amprolium from this sort of low-dose treatment. To prevent coccidiosis, since cocci are inactive in dry soil, I usually just introduce my chicks to a bit of very dry sod, which allows them to build up a natural immunity to it. But that's looking a bit further in the future for you.

Since you are using a heat lamp, I will just say this--don't bother with the huge 250 watt bulbs. Those are WAY too hot for the brooder and shouldn't even be sold for that purpose! Instead, find a lower wattage bulb. When I used heat lamps, I believe I used a 70 or 80 watt bulb, something in that area, and it was fine. Also be on the lookout for shatterproof coated, Teflon coated, or PTFE coated bulbs, as those are toxic to birds!

Chicks don't really require much else. As long as they have a safe brooder, a heat source, food and water, and nice, comfy bedding, they're all set. Just make sure you don't put your chicks on a slick surface like newspaper, as they can get straddle leg, and make sure the walls of the brooder are solid at least at chick level to avoid drafts. Sounds like you have it mostly covered! Fingers crossed for healthy, happy babies!

 

[Thriftymom6]

@chick rookie WC stands for white crested. I still have a hard time keeping up with the code words and acronyms play houses are great! Buy ones with windows (didn't and conversion is still incomplete), solid wood, and a shingled roof. Conversion is easy! Nesting boxes and perches. Oh and linoleum is nice too! Moving is tricky. But if you need tips for that let me know we just did our third one. And we have created a list of valuable tools in this process. Tilt bed trailer (priceless for well constructed houses), come along, tie down ratchet straps, 4 in PVC pipe cut in lengths wider than the playhouse(narrow end), and two to three strong men to tip the house to slide the PVC pipe under and it rolls accords to the trailer. U need 3 to 4 pieces it's a tip roll tip roll procedure. Hope this helps

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Ok, NEWBIE question.... my girls will be arriving at the end of this week (1st chickens I will ever own as an adult & the primary care taker) ...... What is the best feed you all use and know it gives them all the nourishments they need to help them grow into healthy hens? I need help on this matter!! Best yet, anyone got a "Shopping List" of items I need to make sure I have before they come? Let me know this to see if I forgot anything...

Heat lamp (check)
Indoor cage & spot for their safety (check)

Lining for the cage - Not yet....
Food tray (check)
water tray (check)


Ok... HELP A NEWBIE PLEASE

Give me dogs, cats and ferrets, I got this... chicken's I feel so lost now! LOL

there are 2 basic kinds of chick starter ~ with medicine and without medicine. I like the with medicine but I give my chicks vitamins in their water and have not had issues. Some on here have had week chicks have trouble with the meds depleting or blocking vitamins.

The vitamins are called save a chick or some thing similar in many of the feed stores. I would have them on hand. Also a bit of sugar in the water really helps rehydrate the little critters.

 

[Minminme]

I had a great first experience at Wolf's!
I came home with 2 WCB Polish hens, 1 WCB Polish rooster, 2 little silkies, and 1 showgirl hen.

igfyou ever have a reason to rehome that rooster let me know! I've bn wanting a wcb too for a while. My girls are lonely!

 

[Minminme]

Ok, then my next question(s) would be how long before I can expect to see her feathering out? Will the feathers actually grow back after a year of plucking? Is there anything I can feed her to booster her up? She's not sick, but I can't imagine the stress did her any good.

If her feathers were broken they won't grow back til the stem falls out at molt but if the feather was completely plucked they should begin to grow back once the stress has calmed down and her diet is better.