NEW TO CHICKENS

[NiftyChickie]

Thank you. Do you cook the rice or do they eat it raw? Also, has anyone tried Apple Cider Vinegar in water for baby chicks to prevent pasty butt? And....in your experience....when is the best time to take the baby chicks from under the heat lamp?

 

[A roo or two]

I am in FL also We owned barred rock and black australorp chickens in the past. They tolerated the heat well and laid LOADS of eggs.

This time we went with red stars and dominique chicks. Red stars (and black stars) are said to lay 300+ eggs a year but only for a couple years or so before production decreases. Dominique can lay around 180-260 a year from what I have read. I am hoping because we are in a state that stays warm most of the year we are on the higher end of that. But their eggs I read are medium. Stars are large to extra large.

Both of these breeds are suppose to be low feed and they love to free range and are great at foraging helping keep the cost down some. I also give veggies daily, some fruit and bread, not loads but just as a treat.

Where in FL are you located?

 

[NiftyChickie]

Oh, on another note...(sorry I'm full of questions!) I would like to start with 12 chicks. My primary purpose is for pet/egg laying. If I have 12 chickens how many nesting boxes should I build?

 

[NiftyChickie]

Thank you "A roo or two". I am in North Florida... in the panhandle near the coast. I will look into those breeds! Did you order your chicks online or did you go to a local feed store?

 

[A roo or two]

Oh and like everyone else said you can't go by everything you read about personality, one of my barred rocks was a nasty brat and would not hesitate to bite. None of them were overly friendly but I didn't really take time with them either. My current Dom babies are SUPER SUPER sweet. They LOVE to be held all the time, actually fly up from the ground onto my lap and flop on their sides and fall asleep. My red stars are calm and will hop on my lap but not nearly as calm and sweet as the doms.

 

[A roo or two]

I just went on CL and bought chicks from locals, except our red stars, they came from Bell Fl. We are in Weeki Wachee so we drove a bit to get them but only because I couldn't find any local. And it was to hot I felt to ship at that time.

 

[Veer67]

Oh,

I do have a few more questions. How much feed does a chicken eat? (like 1/4 cup a day?) And do you feed them twice a day? Also...how many nesting boxes should a chicken coop have? Say you have eight chickens...do you need eight nesting boxes??

Back when I had 6 chickens I made 4 nesting boxes for them, it was actually more than enough because they will lay eggs at different times, 2 nesting boxes would've worked well for them too ( I've never seen more than 2 chickens in each nesting box at the same time). I think that that 4 nesting boxes would work for a flock of 8, I personally would make more just in case if I want to add a couple more chickens next spring.

 

[NiftyChickie]

Thank you, this is very helpful. I am completely new to raising chickens as I have never done it before. I plan on working on the coop this fall and perhaps getting chicks in the spring (no one is shipping any more chicks until next year!). I might start with anywhere from 8-12. Have you ever used Apple Cider Vinegar in the chicks water to prevent pasty butt?

 

[Veer67]

Thank you, this is very helpful. I am completely new to raising chickens as I have never done it before. I plan on working on the coop this fall and perhaps getting chicks in the spring (no one is shipping any more chicks until next year!). I might start with anywhere from 8-12. Have you ever used Apple Cider Vinegar in the chicks water to prevent pasty butt?

I've never had a serious problem with pasty butt so no, I have read that it can help grow beneficial gut flora which fends off harmful organisms.

 

[NiftyChickie]

I've never had a serious problem with pasty butt so no, I have read that it can help grow beneficial gut flora which fends off harmful organisms.

Thank you, this is great!