I've fallen out of chicken love

[Mace Gill]

They're a commercial egg hybrid, I think, so a compact breed? Big or not, they'll be tough as old boots even as youngsters. They'd be soup chickens. I think the most popular meat ones are Cobb or something like that here??

Do chickens prefer being in flocks with their own breeds? I thought they were happy enough interacting with any other chicken, but I obviously know diddly squat about chickens! Are chickens racist?!

They are very happy to mix! (even though there can be political issues). Some bigger breeds may bully smaller breeds, but normally they'll all get along. But you want to feed meat birds differently than layers

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

They need oyster shells, but that is not the same as grit. Since your birds forage, they are probably picking up enough grit along the way.

My girls LOVE their mealworms!

They have a large coop and also a completely chicken wire enclosed run for when I'm not home, and the run has a crusher dust floor - all sized bits of gravel from sand to tiny stones. They scratch about and pick out the perfect bits - and, as you say, they have plenty of bits to choose from outside the run. They don't have predators here, except for neighbourhood pets but I don't let them out unless I can check on them every hour or so.

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

They are very happy to mix! (even though there can be political issues). Some bigger breeds may bully smaller breeds, but normally they'll all get along. But you want to feed meat birds differently than layers

Oh. Well that makes perfect sense. I didn't even think about the food situation. That's something I'll work out in the future, I guess.

 

[Mace Gill]

It just occurred to me that it's nearly winter where you are. Your birds are soon to start laying, but some breeds slow down a little in winter ... this is not a bad thing in your situation, they'll start laying, slow down a little while getting used to it, then I'll bet they'll be laying more eggs than you can imagine in the spring!

I wonder if that wasn't a motivating factor in your 'breeder' lying about their age ... most folks would want them laying well before winter I think.

 

[MamaChick74]

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They need oyster shells, but that is not the same as grit. Since your birds forage, they are probably picking up enough grit along the way.

My girls LOVE their mealworms!

Mine do too!! Enough so that I now have a mealworm farm!!

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

It just occurred to me that it's nearly winter where you are. Your birds are soon to start laying, but some breeds slow down a little in winter ... this is not a bad thing in your situation, they'll start laying, slow down a little while getting used to it, then I'll bet they'll be laying more eggs than you can imagine in the spring!

I wonder if that wasn't a motivating factor in your 'breeder' lying about their age ... most folks would want them laying well before winter I think.

Yep, winter is just starting. I don't expect an egg a day! I know a lot of people with brown shavers, and they do slow down in winter but don't stop. Irritatingly, I know people who got chickens after me, which were supposedly younger than mine, that have eggs!

My chickens were supposed to be POL beginning of April, which is why I bought them when I did.

 

[Mace Gill]

Yep, winter is just starting. I don't expect an egg a day! I know a lot of people with brown shavers, and they do slow down in winter but don't stop. Irritatingly, I know people who got chickens after me, which were supposedly younger than mine, that have eggs!

My chickens were supposed to be POL beginning of April, which is why I bought them when I did.

S'okay ... when your friends' chickens ... two years from now ... are starting to slow down from age, yours will still be going strong from a late start and a gentle first winter.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

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Do chickens prefer being in flocks with their own breeds? I thought they were happy enough interacting with any other chicken, but I obviously know diddly squat about chickens! Are chickens racist?!

Chickens are definitely not racist. They will gladly boss around, lord it over, and bully all other chickens regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, source of national origin, or for any other reason.

Also chickens are not little feathered humans. Lose the vegetables and all the other feel good feeds and feed them plain old 16 or 18% laying pellets and nothing else, except maybe for fresh road kill.

I quite honestly expect that malnutrition is a big part of your problem.

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

Chickens are definitely not racist. They will gladly boss around, lord it over, and bully all other chickens regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, source of national origin, or for any other reason.

Also chickens are not little feathered humans. Lose the vegetables and all the other feel good feeds and feed them plain old 16 or 18% laying pellets and nothing else, except maybe for fresh road kill.

I quite honestly expect that malnutrition is a big part of your problem.

They're not malnourished. The reason they're not laying is because they were too young, but I didn't know that. One started crouching today, so hopefully not too much longer. They've grown heaps since I got them, and the chicken woman I called in for help, who told me how old they ACTUALLY are, said they're looking very healthy. She poked and prodded them, felt them all over, looked at their feathers, their joints, felt their bellies etc etc, so I'm happy that they're good and healthy.

As for diet, I'm well aware of the dangers of filling them up with low nutrient food but I do give them dark leafy greens every day, whether they're veges or weeds. Their main diet is an 18% ruminant protein layer pellet. They also get a small amount of leftover cat food twice a week, and the hand fed treats are sunflower seeds with the shells on or dried mealworms.

They boss around the cat, so they can't be especially racist! He's 12 and not completely sure of these new beings. I was feeding them mealworms in my hand when the cat decided he wanted some but a chicken head was in the way. He bopped her on the head, she turned around, did the full wing spread and feather fluff, and chased him across the lawn! And then calmly returned for mealworms! Pecking order established

 

[JaeG]

Just wanted to say "Hi" from NZ! Having lice probably set your girls back quite a bit. But squatting is a good sign. It'll all be worth it when you find that first egg.

I'm sorry you were lied to about your birds age, and that's terrible that they arrived with creepy crawlies! That's no way to run a business!