Need advice from experts

[streetriley]

Better than expected! I haven't yet started my own flock but have been watching her birds closely. I am going to start with around 7 hens and 1 rooster. I'm going to pick healthy ones (no diarrhea, scratchy voice, etc...). I'm going to put Apple Cider Vinegar in the water and have them free range until it gets too cold with a little chicken feed available. We have the fence to finish and our coop and everything will be ready so we are around 2-4 weeks away from beginning!!! I'm nervous and excited.

Mom did take the criticism well as I wasn't a jersey about it. She said she will sell some of her chicks because she has too many unfortunately there are some that are sick and hopefully she doesn't sell a sick one! But she has also been cleaning her coop better and I haven't been able to help because we've been busy finishing our own!

 

[streetriley]

Hooray! What breeds are you going to do?

Orpington, Brahma, Silver Lace Wyandotte, (several different they're all so pretty!) And Rhode Island Red

 

[black_cat]

Mom did take the criticism well as I wasn't a jersey about it. She said she will sell some of her chicks because she has too many unfortunately there are some that are sick and hopefully she doesn't sell a sick one! But she has also been cleaning her coop better and I haven't been able to help because we've been busy finishing our own!

That's great that things are improving!

 

[black_cat]

Orpington, Brahma, Silver Lace Wyandotte, (several different they're all so pretty!) And Rhode Island Red

Ooooh, that's a super fun selection! I love wyandottes as well, they are beautiful. I can't keep them as they are more winter birds and we get VERY hot summers.

 

[streetriley]

I love scratch and peck, starter feed! I know that it is a starter but it has plenty of protein, and is all natural. You can also purchase another scratch and peck feed, but make sure it has plenty of protein, preferably 20%, less then that can cause a protein deficiency. Purina is also a good brand, I feed it to my ducklings and chicks that when I have them. Ohh, and depending on where you live, to repel rodents, and keep your food dry even if the feeder is in the rain, you can purchase a feeder from the website Grandpa's feeders. They are rat proof, water proof, weather proof, and life proof. I love them! They hold a bunch of food, nothing can steal the food, rats, mice, chipmunks, ect. There great! A bit on the expensive side, for sure, and depending on where you live, they are mad win new zealand, so where I am it takes a month plus of them to arrive. But they are so worth it!

Thank you!!

 

[streetriley]

T
This was of course my mother's flock whom I've tried to help care for for many years. We did give many antibiotics but she continued to purchase chickens despite the illness since we ran i to several very crafty raccoons that ate several of her beauty's.

P.s. I used to live with them so it was "our" flock for a short time while I was in financial crisis if it must be known.

 

[streetriley]

Ooooh, that's a super fun selection! I love wyandottes as well, they are beautiful. I can't keep them as they are more winter birds and we get VERY hot summers.

I can't wait! She does appear to have many healthy birds from what I can see, I have been stockpiling medications just in case. I also love Polish chickens but they can be hard to find sometimes