Information Overload + Analysis Paralysis

[Estrella]

The feed I ferment is a mix of whole barley, crushed corn and wheat. They lay better and their eggs a superclean.

I'd cut back to twice a week at most, scratch is not good for them.

Well, this works very well for me and has been for years.

 

[nuthatched]

Also, if you need help with something, it's best to listen to someone with an 'educator ' badge by their name.
Welcome to byc!

 

[BeckyRK1974]

The feed I ferment is a mix of whole barley, crushed corn and wheat. They lay better and their eggs a superclean.

Awesome! Thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

Well, this works very well for me and has been for years.

Trying going without it for a few weeks and get a nice higher protein feed, you'll save money and have healthier birds. :]

 

[BeckyRK1974]

Also, if you need help with something, it's best to listen to someone with an 'educator ' badge by their name.
Welcome to byc!

I didn't know there was a badge like that...thank you. I will definitely keep watch for it.

(edited to remove excessive use of the word 'that' lol)

 

[Estrella]

Trying going without it for a few weeks and get a nice higher protein feed, you'll save money and have healthier birds. :]

My birds are super healthy, thank you, they free range and have access to high protein layerfeed and garden compost whenever they want.

 

[BeckyRK1974]

When I got my first chickens, I read as many books as I could find, then I found this forum, and the books went to the used bookstore. I learn so much more on here everyday, even after 8 years. One thing I have learned, is that there are many ways of keeping chickens happy and healthy. As I go, I've changed a lot of things, it always seem to be a growing and adjusting process. You have time, so take a deep breath, let it out, and keep up the good work of learning and preparing, but know it never be perfect. Chickens are messy, and chicken ownership is too. Well worth it IMO, and not just for the eggs.

Thank you for this! It's encouraging to know that adjustments down the line may not be as detrimental as it seems in my head. The other day I was leaving to visit my mom, and my neighbor had her hens out free-ranging in their backyard (it's fenced in). She has 4, and they were all pecking the ground in one spot. Then 3 of them decided to mosey on to another spot, so their back sides were facing me. Several seconds later the 4th one stood up and noticed the other 3 were now like a yard or so away from her. I got to watch her fluffy little waddling butt scurrying to catch up to her flock. It was the cutest thing! I can only imagine how much enjoyment and entertainment I'm going to get.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I swear I have packed 5 years worth of education into these last 4-5 weeks. I am thinking myself into a tailspin here. I naturally have an analytical mind, and I struggle with perfectionism.

You are who you are. None of us can say anything that will change that. Hopefully we can get you to relax a little bit but I'm not very hopeful.

We keep chickens in widely varying climates, urban versus rural, different breeds, different age and sex mixes, for a wide variety of reasons, different facilities, different amounts of room, and a lot of different other differences. Some things work better for some of us than they do for others. On the other hand, many things work extremely well for about any of us. It is not that there is only one way to do things correctly, it is that there are a lot of different things that work very well. That's where the perfectionist in you will have issues. There is no one perfect way, can you accept that?

But I'm fighting off the panicky thoughts that I am going to get my 6 babies on July 8 and I'm going to inadvertently kill them all.

Fight harder. Of course things happen but most of the time things work out very well.

I have read through at least 2-3 dozen threads in this forum also, but feel like I have a few empty nooks in my mind that need filling with more info.

Go to the Articles section of this forum and read. Lots of different opinions, some contradictory. Lots of good advice in there but also some that I don't agree with. Never hesitate to start a thread on here and ask for other opinions.

Any tips on what the most important things to consider when deciding on brand of chick starter, and also feed for when they're older?

When I got my dogs I asked a vet that question. He basically said if you get age appropriate feed from a major brand you are golden. Look at the analysis and compare. The major brands are all very consistent. You can get some pretty strong opinions on here about which feeds (including but not limited to organic arguments) but in my opinion there really isn't a significant difference as long as it is age appropriate. Unless you are treating something specific I don't worry about supplements for me or the chickens.

Any words of wisdom for a 1st time chicken mom?

Words of encouragement even?

Do the basics right but consider your convenience. The chickens are adaptable and will do well as long as you cover the basics. It does not have to be that complicated. The easier you make it on yourself the better you will care for your chickens.

Good luck!

 

[DonyaQuick]

Any tips on what the most important things to consider when deciding on brand of chick starter, and also feed for when they're older?

The one thing where I wish I had read it beforehand or wish someone had told me is to get a better feel for my local supply situations and pay attention to empty shelves. If your local supply is totally stable and everything on the shelves is fresh, great! If not, you may avoid the stress of a randomly timed feed switch by checking whether the brand you're interested in is having any availability or freshness issues where you are. I got bopped by that with first feed choices both with my first chickens and later with my dog when she was a picky eater puppy despite choosing big-name brands.

My logic mind is telling me that all the posts of injured hens and dying chicks only seem to be extensive because, generally speaking, people tend not to post when things are going wonderful and all is well.

This is true, the odds of each kind of problem are lower than they may seem if all you're looking at is the emergency forum. But, keeping populations of animals never goes totally smoothly, whether it's an aquarium with fish or a flock of birds. That's just something to keep in mind. There will be a learning curve once the birds arrive even with extensive reading beforehand; permit yourself that climb.

Any words of wisdom for a 1st time chicken mom?

Spend time with the chicks. The more time you spend, the more opportunity to catch a problem while it's fixable, like pasty butt or a temperature issue. And as a bonus, the more time you spend...the more they will repeatedly wake you up in the middle of the night for the first couple weeks!

 

[BeckyRK1974]

Hopefully we can get you to relax a little bit but I'm not very hopeful.

I very much appreciate your honesty. I assure you I will get to a more relaxed state with this. I just struggle when I'm not sure if something needs to be as close to perfect as humanly possible, or if there is some acceptable wiggle room. I'm pretty sure coop placement and my set up for supplies and such is where my perfectionism will lend itself more useful.

I will take a look through the articles soon. I keep forgetting there is a separate section for those. Thank you!

It is not that there is only one way to do things correctly, it is that there are a lot of different things that work very well.

Do the basics right but consider your convenience. The chickens are adaptable and will do well as long as you cover the basics.

Both of these statements are extremely helpful in putting my mind at ease. I appreciate you taking the time to address everything for me. It's definitely been a HUGE help for me. Thank you again!!