"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Ragfrey]

Have you decided what type of chickens you want to raise?

All egg layers.
These are the chosen warriors:

Black Copper Maran
Welsummer
Buckeye
Spec Sussex
Blue laced Wyandotte
Golden laced Wyandotte
Silver laced Wyandotte
Starlight green Egger
Blue Andalusian
Easter Egger
Prairie blue Egger

Coop is almost done. Will do the run this weekend.

Will order chicks from Old Time Farm Supply in Gonzales pretty soon.

 

[WhoDatChick]

I need some help here…I am really confused about what to feed.

There are different types for different ages and situations:
Crumble
Layer
Pellets
16%, 18% protein?
Oyster shells
Grit
All flock
Purina
TSC
Etc….

Going to order baby chicks soon and I don’t know what to have ready and what to move to in the future.

Is there a diagram or table that explains what ages to feed what?

How do you know what to feed?

Just put it out and let them free feed?

I feed the higher protein… they have chick starter called Flock Party at 22% protein… my favorite.. and then when they are 7 weeks old you can switch to Nutriena All Flock at 20% protein. I just found out about a layer feed that has 22% protein which I plan to add to the All Flock when my littles are around 17 weeks. I also keep food out at all times and I also leave oyster shells for them if they want but that’s only for the big gals. The babies can’t have the extra calcium that’s in the layer feed or oyster shells until they are 17-18 weeks old.
And I agree about the crumbles.. they waste most of that. But I feel the babies should have crumbles until a little older/seven weeks when you switch to the All Flock pellets.
I think they do better with more protein! Most layer feeds have only 16% protein… I think they need more than that!

 

[WhoDatChick]

And I guess I spoke too soon…. found Sunny dead in the coop this morning. She is the one I was talking about yesterday. I believe the heat got her…

 

[alwaystj9]

Sorry about your hen, she was a pretty girl.
I hadn't had orpingtons in years but got a few lavender orpingtons in the last chick mix.
It is not the most heat tolerant breed, I'll haveto keep an extra eye on my littles, they just moved into the big flock. (Right now their biggest concern is how to navigate back to the coop in the evening. They tend to run up and down the back fence and cannot figure out how to turn the corner and go in the gate.)

 

[Ragfrey]

All great information…thanks.

If I have river silt- basically sand for my coop and run floor, do I need to provide grit?

@WhoDatChick
Hate to hear that about your Buff. Have you had Buffs before? I heard they are not heat tolerant at all, mostly because of their big size but they are great mother hens. They take good care of incoming chicks and protect them from the older hens when integrating into the flock.

 

[alwaystj9]

Not sure about riversilt. I only provide grit when the biddies are in the brooder table. I kind of figure they will find their own grit once they are outside. Not scientific, but it has worked okay so far. I don't think it was anavailable product when I got my first chickens 30+ years ago. I don't remember it at the feed store. The first time I bought grit I was surprised at the texture. It's much larger and coarser than I expected it to be. I believe each particle is as big or bigger than the crumble pieces. I have been using a bag that I bought 5 years ago and there is still plenty left. I bought a 25 # bag & keep it in a lidded 5 gallon bucket stored under the brooder. I think it is still 10 - 15 dollars/bag and it doesn't spoil or go bad. Totally inert little rocks.
So I think that you buy some grit because your riversilt maybe too fine.
Birds that get to free range a good bit of time should be okay.
My chickens are usually out between 6- 10 hours each day and can range over a couple of acres. Right now they are dirt-digging almost as bad as my dogs, old puddles and low spots are becoming craters. So I assume they are ingesting at least some of the dirt/rocks/goat poop they are excavating.

 

[Ragfrey]

Thank you.

 

[Ragfrey]

Started covering the windows with black vinyl coated 1/2” hardware cloth.

Very pleased with how it turned out.

 

[alwaystj9]

Looks nice! I have always used raw hardware cloth. I'll have to try the coated. There aren't many building materials I hate as much as hardware cloth!

 

[WhoDatChick]

Sorry about your hen, she was a pretty girl.
I hadn't had orpingtons in years but got a few lavender orpingtons in the last chick mix.
It is not the most heat tolerant breed, I'll haveto keep an extra eye on my littles, they just moved into the big flock. (Right now their biggest concern is how to navigate back to the coop in the evening. They tend to run up and down the back fence and cannot figure out how to turn the corner and go in the gate.)

Thank you!
Oh gosh, ya the littles can be slow learners sometimes