New to Chickens (no experience)

[VictoriaTexas]

Thanksgiving weekend 2024 I am due to receive all about 8-1/2 mo old -
(inside the City limits/NO roosters allowed)

3 laying buff orpington
1 laying French black copper maran
1 white Frizzle layer
1 brahma layer
2 Rhode island red layer

I dont have my coop ready, plan on using the 10'×12'/16' back room of my shop until Spring. I have a big sack of Thomas Moore Scratch n More, & a smaller sack Thomas Moore Premium scratch. A small 10oz soldier fly, & a couple bales of fine pine shaving. 2 10' 2" wooden closet rods to make roosting bars. No feeders & waterer, or nesting boxes yet. The hens are 8mo old started laying 3 weeks ago when I bought them. No chicken door, & the room has loose exterior plywood in several walls. My garden that butts up to the back room is 50'×100', I have about 18 t-posts, 3 rolls 6' chainlink, 50'×50' cheap (temu) 2" bird netting & a couple of green 30% shade cloth 20'×50' ea. Should I use the chainlink for chunnels over 2-3/8 oilfield, I have 40 joints I also just had a couple round bales hay delivered last week. I have a couple dozen shts of roof steel too for use on misc projects. I paid $180 (wanted $30 ea) for the 8 - 8 mo old laying hens with the 6 maran chicks. Could of got $10 layers around the corner but the breeder I felt had extensive experience & show quality meant healthier layers to me. Like I said, what would I know $


eTc


What next ?
(robin)


Thank you

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens, And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska! The Best of Luck with your Plans, Here's a link to the Learning Center lot's of Great Info.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/learning-center.11/

 

[janiedoe]

Good morning, and welcome to BYC. I'm not awake enough to give advice just yet. I will say, that to protect your flock from predators, you'll need to make sure there are no openings bigger than a quarter (to keep out smaller predators) and that your fencing is sturdy enough to keep out large predators.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

You aren't just feeding scratch are you? That is intended as a treat only and in very small quantities. The birds should be on a complete diet that offers 18-20% protein.

 

[VictoriaTexas]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

You aren't just feeding scratch are you? That is intended as a treat only and in very small quantities. The birds should be on a complete diet that offers 18-20% protein.

I hope not ?
attached picture is the tag on the sack of "Scratch n More"
The smaller bag of just scratch & soldier flys I was going to use to sit in the coop a few times the 1st week before I let the hens out to help them relax & get comfortable with my presence just to hand them some see if they would eat out of my hand.

 

[PimsGarden]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

You aren't just feeding scratch are you? That is intended as a treat only and in very small quantities. The birds should be on a complete diet that offers 18-20% protein.

I don't feed scratch except maybe a little in winter cause it helps warm them apparently, otherwise I feed all flock 20% protein with oyster shell on the side for calcium. My birds perform better than my neighbors who uses layer feed and the chickens at my work which get all flock with scratch. This is just my personal experience but I think a lot of others do what I do too.

 

[DobieLover]

I hope not ?

No, you're not. But their brand name is sure deceiving! Always include "layer mix" when you state what you are feeding.

However, I have never liked the practice of feeding layer feed. There are many times during a pullet/hens life where she does not need the extra calcium included in layer feed. And it is challenging to say the least to find one that offers more than the bare minimum of 16% protein.

I have always fed 18-20% protein "all flock" type feed to my flock and just keep 2 containers of oyster shell on the side for free choice feeding. It works quite well. That way when the hens are broody or taking a break from egg production during the winter, their kidneys do not have to work overtime to process all the excess calcium included in the layer feed.

I also provide extra meat protein during the annual molt.

 

[VictoriaTexas]

Good morning, and welcome to BYC. I'm not awake enough to give advice just yet. I will say, that to protect your flock from predators, you'll need to make sure there are no openings bigger than a quarter (to keep out smaller predators) and that your fencing is sturdy enough to keep out large predators.

That is my most concerning element.
opossums !

I dont think my 8 yr old declawed feline would try her luck inside a area with birds twice her size but once ? (I adopted her at 4 yrs old already with a botched declaw job after my 20 yr old died of cancer)

 

[VictoriaTexas]

No, you're not. But their brand name is sure deceiving! Always include "layer mix" when you state what you are feeding.

However, I have never liked the practice of feeding layer feed. There are many times during a pullet/hens life where she does not need the extra calcium included in layer feed. And it is challenging to say the least to find one that offers more than the bare minimum of 16% protein.

I have always fed 18-20% protein "all flock" type feed to my flock and just keep 2 containers of oyster shell on the side for free choice feeding. It works quite well. That way when the hens are broody or taking a break from egg production during the winter, their kidneys do not have to work overtime to process all the excess calcium included in the layer feed.

I also provide extra meat protein during the annual molt.

yeah the sack of feed fooled me too & I almost returned it, It isnt labeled anything on the sack at all with the exception of the tag

I heard when they molt/Winter the extra protien 18%+ is important

 

[DobieLover]

I heard when they molt/Winter the extra protien 18%+ is important

So is not feeding excess calcium...