INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ChickCrazed]

Be careful with cat and dog foods. They are super high in sodium. Not something you want to feed very much or very often. I would go with canned tuna personally.

I have mine on flock raiser all year long, it already has higher protein and they come through molt just fine. I would also be leary of giving them food designed for another species. Nutritional needs vary so much across species. Of course, my chickens are all over my spilled horse grain every morning. That hasn't done them in so far, but it could.

 

[kabhyper1]

I have mine on flock raiser all year long, it already has higher protein and they come through molt just fine. I would also be leary of giving them food designed for another species. Nutritional needs vary so much across species. Of course, my chickens are all over my spilled horse grain every morning. That hasn't done them in so far, but it could.

Mine share the alpacas feed everyday. The alpacas have also discovered the chicken feed. LOL sometimes it can't be helped. I'm fairly certain horse and alpaca feeds are probably lower in sodium than the cat and dog foods anyway, so it's probably not as bad.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Be careful with cat and dog foods. They are super high in sodium. Not something you want to feed very much or very often. I would go with canned tuna personally.

Good point. Another choice may be canned mackerel. It's the animal protein that they need rather than the veg. protein.

I use just plain (grass-fed) ground beef or ground venison raw when I want to add more protein. There is a lot of research available that show the health benefits of feeding it raw as they would find in nature (as in eating mice, snakes, toads, bugs, etc.). But if you can't get good quality meats (as in wild venison or grass-feed beef) the canned or cooked are likely better option than veg protein that isn't assimilated as well.

 

[Faraday40]

I have mine on flock raiser all year long, it already has higher protein and they come through molt just fine. I would also be leary of giving them food designed for another species. Nutritional needs vary so much across species. Of course, my chickens are all over my spilled horse grain every morning. That hasn't done them in so far, but it could.

I have the left-over chick starter & layer formulas in there now. The flock consists of 1/2 1-yr-old hens starting their 1st molt (possibly) and 1/2 21-wk-old pullets getting ready to lay (hopefully). Over the summer I had the chick starter & oyster shell available and two hens produced thinner shells.

I tried feather fixer in another feeder in Aug-mid Sept, but I wasn't sure if it did anything. Only 1 hen has stopped laying with baldness, but I'm sure the rest of the hens will soon follow since they've never molted yet. I'm just looking for ideas.

Oh, I also have 3 11-week old "chicks" that sleep in the coop, but spend the day in the tractor. They only get the starter feed. Not sure if I'm keeping them or not. Part of my decision depends on if this chicken starts crowing or lays an egg. My gut says cockerel b/c of the redness & wattles, but the small comb looks female.

 

[ellymayRans]

I have the left-over chick starter & layer formulas in there now. The flock consists of 1/2 1-yr-old hens starting their 1st molt (possibly) and 1/2 21-wk-old pullets getting ready to lay (hopefully). Over the summer I had the chick starter & oyster shell available and two hens produced thinner shells. I tried feather fixer in another feeder in Aug-mid Sept, but I wasn't sure if it did anything. Only 1 hen has stopped laying with baldness, but I'm sure the rest of the hens will soon follow since they've never molted yet. I'm just looking for ideas. Oh, I also have 3 11-week old "chicks" that sleep in the coop, but spend the day in the tractor. They only get the starter feed. Not sure if I'm keeping them or not. Part of my decision depends on if this chicken starts crowing or lays an egg. My gut says cockerel b/c of the redness & wattles, but the small comb looks female.

I don't see any saddle feathers so I would say very cute pullet!

 

[AnnaPi]

The owner of one of my local liquor stores ordered this for me. I've never heard of it, but I saw the poster and thought "Well, it has a chicken on it, so it must be mine. MINE!!!" Anyone want to join me for a whiskey tasting tonight?

 

[iamfivewire]

update : the cockerel we thought got hit by a car yesterday was hiding in the coop & "magically appeared" this morning - something must have freaked him out yesterday, because he's the only one that didnt come running for evening treat time.

 

[iamfivewire]

cool bottle AnnaPi

 

[chickiebaby1]

update : the cockerel we thought got hit by a car yesterday was hiding in the coop & "magically appeared" this morning - something must have freaked him out yesterday, because he's the only one that didnt come running for evening treat time.

So glad he didn't become a car ornament. That would have just been terrible.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I love the birchen roos I have from Brad. Exceptionally friendly roosters. My oldest fella is Rene, and I can pick him up at any time with no problem. Lovely dark eggs for a birchen line too, I have 2 hens I put with Rene from my copper marans for a few months to add some new blood. My birchen hens egg is almost as dark as my coppers. I have so many molting birds I thought I had a predator attack, so many feathers in my waterfowl pen! All but a handful of my pekins, and scovies look fresh and so FAT after the molts! Most of my chickens are done too, the few that haven't I sure hope hurry up!

I love that name for a Marans rooster!! Just so you know, Birchen is basically the silver version of Black Copper--that means that by crossing them, you should end up with sexlinked chicks. However, since there's no real visual difference between Birchen chicks and Black Copper chicks (that I can tell..?), you'll have to wait until they feather out. Girls will be Birchen, boys will be 'golden' (a yellowish, reddish appearance). My two Sebrights that have finished their molts look FABULOUS! Poor Frannie, the last of the silvers to molt, is bare all over! Looks like someone tried to pluck her. A couple of my barreds are going into molt as well, and both of the remaining sexlinks have bare shoulders. And then there's Frou-Frou--she has enough pins all over she actually doesn't want her visit right now! :/ My poor baby!

Oh, I also have 3 11-week old "chicks" that sleep in the coop, but spend the day in the tractor. They only get the starter feed. Not sure if I'm keeping them or not. Part of my decision depends on if this chicken starts crowing or lays an egg. My gut says cockerel b/c of the redness & wattles, but the small comb looks female.

Gosh, this bird is just so tricky! Have you lifted the saddle feathers and checked for the beginning of pointed feathers underneath? By now, I would expect to see at least that on a boy...