Newbie needs help with shopping list

[crankybiscuit]

So my Eglu is on order and by the end of the month I will be the owner of 2 hens. I live in West LA so the feed stores which would carry everything is a bit of a drive, so I want to make sure I am all stocked up with everything I need in the first trip.

So far on my list I have:

Chicken feed (I start with the obvious

)
Oyster shell
Pine shavings
black oil sunflower seeds

And I'm supposed to get scratch grains? If I just say "scratch grains" to the store, I assume they'll know what I need? I also read that if your chicken will be directly on the ground/grass they don't need grit, is this correct?

Is my list missing anything?

 

[Nemo]

Grit is cheap and good insurance. If your birds don't need it, then it will last forever. If they do need it, and you don't have it available, there could be trouble.

They will need some sort of grit (found or supplied) to eat anything other than feed... Sunflower seeds, weeds and grass, bugs, etc.

I'm assuming you are getting grown hens. If you are getting chicks, you'll need a lot more supplies.

You don't need scratch... It's sort of like the chicken-equivalent of fast food. It's edible, and they'll go crazy for it, but it's not very nutritious.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Feeders, waterers, (I use rubber tubs), Plastic trash cans (for storage), ....I'm sure I will think of some more.

 

[cmom]

I would get some grit. A chicken's food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on. The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age. I feed my birds Starter/Grower feed until they start to lay then I switch over to layer feed. If I have any Starter/Grower feed left over I mix it in with the layer feed.

I give mine almost everything. Here is the link to BYC Chicken Treat Chart.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[MoodyChicken]

Electrolytes and Apple Cider Vinegar. Good for health maintenance!

If you're getting chicks, you'll need chick starter and a heat lamp.

Fly tape might not be a bad idea if you have a problem with flies.

Nesting boxes, feeders, waters, maybe a ceramic dish for treats (so they don't make a mess)

perches, a single 2-3 inch dowel is plenty for two hens

maybe a dish with sand and small pebbles, or you can buy grit

 

[crankybiscuit]

Wow, thanks all for the info, all! Yes, I'm getting POL hens from Eglu, and now I know to get some grit for some cheap insurance.

Do I need additional next boxes, waterers and feeders aside from the stuff that ships with Eglu? From cmom's link it looks like a suet feeder is a nice to have for certain treats.

Looks like I'd maybe feed scratch sparingly over the winter if at all, as Los Angeles winters are extremely mild.

MoodyChicken, electrolytes and apple cider vinegar? That's interesting, how do you give those to your chickens, as a beverage, an addition to their water, or mixed in with some grains?

 

[Nemo]

Quote:
Mixed in their water.

 

[briteday]

With two hens you will only need one nest box.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Quote:
The ACV is added to the water, the electrolyes can be added to the water or mixed with their feed.

 

[highcountrychickens]

YAAY!! Chickenkit! If you are getting babies, be sure you have a heat lamp, chick starter crumbles, water, and a thermometer (unless Eglu provides them). A lot of the other things on your list you might be able to get down the road. The scratch grains aren't necessary just yet. Grit is good to have in any case - they won't need oyster shells for a while, but certainly some sand and I have cherry stone (same as granite, essentially).
For the long run, my favorite recommendation is a flashlight. I always go out to check on everybody before I go to bed, get the last few eggs, and close them up tight (Roo wakes the neighbors up a bit too early). It has become my favorite ritual of the day.

Have fun! You're well on your way to becoming a junkie like the rest of us.

Post Pictures when they arrive!!