I am new to raising Cornish X's and have questions....help lol my chicks are 2 weeks old and have been moved to an enclosure in the barn, which brings me to my first question: do i need warming lights still? the weather is in the 40's for the last few days and i have kept them on also i read something about the lights being a fire hazard is this true? they are currently hung 18 inches above chicks. Second question: i have done some reading on fermented food, i am hoping to feed my chicks this at four weeks old, is this a treat or an everyday thing? also what kind of whole grains should i use? Third question: my layers tail feathers are looking pretty ragged any ideas?
From what i read, fermented feed is a great thing to feed them. On feeding chickens, you have to watch cost. Treats is best to give sparingly, so the chickens wont learn to rely on them and not forage. Starting a compost pile with yard debris and food scraps and a lil dirt is going to make them LOVE YOU!. One of my favs... is to use an ice pick, stab through a cabbage, put a ziptie thru the hole then use like a rope to attach it in the coop to where they have to leap a lil to peck at it. Like an edible toy to them and keeps them busy with nutrition.
The ratty looking tail feathers, mine has that right now. Every so often chickens will molt... could be all over, or usually just in spots. Watch their feet, ears, waddles and combs... if the colors still stay bright and healthy they are fine. They start going grey and the chickens start acting funny, lethargic and stumbling, you have a problem.