Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[mattsinger]

During the winter, I feed mine the layer crumble...but also mix in starter crumble since it is higher in protein. not sure if its needed or not, but I mix it 50/50

 

[chickflick]

Is she going broody? They pull out their feathers on their belly to keep the eggs warm

 

[annagarret]

I'm confused on the going broody. Doesn't she have to have eggs to sit on for that to happen? IDK. I have only had chickens about 9 months.

 

[annagarret]

She is not in her box. She comes down and stays with the other 2 hens

 

[snowflake]

hens do not need eggs to go broody, they decide it is time to sit and they will, usaly do not leave the box but to eat,drink,and poo
they will wait for another to lay and go set on their eggs

 

[annagarret]

Thank you. I am thinking it might be stress with being in the coop so much in this awful weather.

She is more sensitive and shy than the other two hens. She is at the bottom of the pecking order. I have increased their protein. Should I remove her from the coop?

 

[1muttsfan]

I feed them their egg layer crumbles, cracked corn and poultry grit. I haven't had a problem till yesterday. She is about 10 months old.

Hi Anna, welcome to the Michigan thread

Corn should be used as only a small part of their diet, as it does not provide a good nutritional balance, and is high in fat. If they eat too much corn they will not eat enough of their balanced ration, and it can impact their health.

You should be offering 2 kinds of grit, granite grit to help digestion (necessary if you are feeding grains such as corn) and calcium grit such as oyster shell to provide additional calcium, especially as you are adding a low-calcium supplement to their diet (corn).

 

[Brennigan]

Quote:
I'm sure most of the people on BYC teach their children how to properly handle animals; I didn't mean to offend. I have worked retail previously, and I've seen parents much more interested in picking out a suit rather than telling their children to stop destroying tie table after tie table. ;P

I definitely agree about people behaving to the bar set for them! I was just reading a few articles on how not to lose your best employees, and I found many tie-ins!

And thank you for the offer of chicks! I believe we'll be stopping by Townline for three chicks (each of a different breed) and we'll go from there. Being new to all this, I don't want to get too overwhelmed too quickly! Especially in the polar vortex!

 

[Brennigan]

Quote:
I read somewhere they can also eat their own shells (after they've been rinsed and dried well). Is that true?

 

[preciouskitty]

Quote:
I save all my shells, wash & nuke 'em, crunch them up., keep them in a jar & feed them right back to them! Alot of times when I am making them a treat of oatmeal, fresh garlic & whatever else I will sprinkle the egg shells in it.. I also have oyster shell available for them..