New chicken mom

[Mimi 1]

You don't need to ferment scratch. They don't even need it.
The process of digesting their food creates body heat and they're fluffed up plumage will trap that heat in when necessary. They just need to go to roost with full crops. Having a crop full of a completely balanced feed is a lot better than having a crop full of candy. Scratch is considered a treat and nothing more.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for your response. I tried Google, most of the videos described fermenting feed not scratch. So are you saying I. CAN ferment scratch? I'm only wondering because I want to put them in their coop but I want them to build body heat to aid with warmth during the cold nights, so I read I should give them carbs in the evening like sprouts or scratch. Somewhere I read that fermenting allows for easier digestion. So, somehow, I thought i should ferment scratch. Did I mix up this information?

I tried fermenting feed and that turns to mush. Some do that too. I prefer not to.

I use Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve, which is a premium and very wasteful layer feed, as scratch. I mix equal parts of that with whole oats and whole red winter wheat in a bin. That's what I fill my jars half full of. I also add a tablespoon each of whole chia seeds and fennel.

 

[Turd bird]

Hello, I'm a new chicken mom. I received my day old chicks on 10/31/24 delivered by the post master. I ordered 6 chicks and received 8. Sadly, I lost 1, so I now have 7. 3 are Rhode Island Reds, and the other 4 are Plymouth Barred Rocks. I want to start the journey of being able to be self reliant. I tried my hand at gardening and decided to try to raise chickens for eggs. In my quest to arm myself with information, BYC was recommended by various sources ie,TSC employee and in a book I read. I'm a member on fb as well. I'm both excited and afraid to walk through this journey since there is so much I still don't know. I also see that there are so many varying perspectives which can add to my stress levels but non the less I'm here for the much needed support.

rhode island red and plymouth barred rocks are good breeds for eggs and if you get more a breed i like to get is isa Brown's they lay more eggs than rhode island reds

 

[Tookie]

Hello! Welcome to BYC! Nice to meet you.

 

[Mimi 1]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I would move them to your unheated basement or unheated garage for a week to acclimate them to outdoor temperatures. And then I'd put them in the coop. Just make sure they have a place that's fully sheltered from any wind and a nice thick dry bedding to hunker down in and they should do just fine.

Than you for the suggestion. Last night we moved them to our garage. We temporarily placed them in the run while I cleaned out and moved the brooder. When I went to get them they were grazing, lol. My husband felt bad for them, so he set up the heat lamp!

 

[DobieLover]

My husband felt bad for them, so he set up the heat lamp!

Keeping the heat on them is NOT helping. Please remove it. They need to acclimate.

Remind him that he is a mammal, the chickens are birds. We naked mammals need supplemental heat. Those chickens are designed to keep themselves warm and they don't need to be taught how to do it.

As long as they have protections from any drafts and have full crops when night falls, they will be just fine. They will slowly digest their food throughout the night creating heat and they will fluff their feathers to trap that heat. Their feet are in dry fluffy bedding.
I can't emphasize it enough to remove that heat lamp and leave those big girls on a normal circadian rhythm. They will greatly benefit from it.

If you have any unfrozen sod, dig up a clump and toss that into the brooder with them. They will have a blast scratching it up once they get over their fear of it. They must be bored senseless in there. They really need to be outside.