Newbie needs Nine questions answered by a professional chicken expert :)

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skywalker786

skywalker786

In the Brooder
5 Years
Mar 18, 2014
16
0
32
Q1. I'am creating some fencing round my garden, the chicken wire is 900mm high and my chickens wings have been clipped, is the fence high enough?

Q2. I have a concrete garden so there is no soil or grass for them to peck or play with, is that ok or can I use anything else as a substitute?

Q3. I have a 3 litre plastic water feeder I am putting in 15ml of ACV, is this too much? I have noticed the chickens are drinking the water slightly slower than last week

Q.4 I fill the water feeder to 3 litres and let me drink the same water for 1 week, is this ok?

Q5. My chickens are 21 weeks and the eggs they lay are small, will the eggs grow bigger as the chicken gets older?

Q6. I have a light sussex and a blue bell, is it true the brown bantam chickens
lays more eggs than the ones I've got?

Q7. I'm told that after 3 years the chickens stop laying eggs, what do people do with them after this period in this forum?

Q8. I have noticed my chickens do not lay their eggs in the nest box, the person I brought it from told me to block the next box until they lay eggs, which I did. now I find eggs on the coop floor, what can I do so they lay in the nest box?

Q9. How many eggs will I expect the chickens to lay in a week - blue bell & Light sussex?


Many Thanks
 
skywalker786 said:
Q1. I'am creating some fencing round my garden, the chicken wire is 900mm high and my chickens wings have been clipped, is the fence high enough? Maybe. Chickens fly and can get over a 7 foot fence if they are small enough and have the right lift even with clipped wings. So there is no guarantee.

Q2. I have a concrete garden so there is no soil or grass for them to peck or play with, is that ok or can I use anything else as a substitute? Concrete can be hard on foot pads. You might want to lay something down in some places, even rubber pads to give them a place to get off the hard surface.

Q3. I have a 3 litre plastic water feeder I am putting in 15ml of ACV, is this too much? I have noticed the chickens are drinking the water slightly slower than last week ACV is mixed 1 or 2 Tablespoons per gallon of water. Change it daily and don't offer it up everyday. Once or twice a week is fine.

Q.4 I fill the water feeder to 3 litres and let me drink the same water for 1 week, is this ok? Give them fresh water ever day. Water can build up bacteria from them drinking. Clean out waterers weekly with a bleach solution and give them clean fresh water every day.

Q5. My chickens are 21 weeks and the eggs they lay are small, will the eggs grow bigger as the chicken gets older? Yes. Once they get their egg laying machines in gear, the eggs will get larger.

Q6. I have a light sussex and a blue bell, is it true the brown bantam chickens
lays more eggs than the ones I've got? I do not know, I don't keep this breed.

Q7. I'm told that after 3 years the chickens stop laying eggs, what do people do with them after this period in this forum? Not true with all species. Some will continue to lay until death. I have 3 year old birds that are still going strong. Some people keep the spent hens as pets or eat them.

Q8. I have noticed my chickens do not lay their eggs in the nest box, the person I brought it from told me to block the next box until they lay eggs, which I did. now I find eggs on the coop floor, what can I do so they lay in the nest box? You will need to train them to use the boxes. So get yourself some fake eggs or even golf balls and put these in the boxes. Hens lay where other hens have laid their eggs. They need to know it is safe to lay in the boxes. Make sure the boxes are excessible, dark and comfy.

Q9. How many eggs will I expect the chickens to lay in a week - blue bell & Light sussex? I don't keep these birds so I can't say.


Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC! You can also do some reading in our learning center for lots of tips and hints on keeping your flock...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Good luck and enjoy your adventures!
 
skywalker786 said:
Q1. I'am creating some fencing round my garden, the chicken wire is 900mm high and my chickens wings have been clipped, is the fence high enough?

It depends on their breed and the individual but probably not. I have penedesencas that are very respectful of fences and will stay inside a 600mm fence. I've had Jersey Giants that would fly out of a 1500mm fence. I've seen determined birds with clipped wings flap and use their feet to climb out.
So, sorry I really didn't give you a yes or no - probably not.

Q2. I have a concrete garden so there is no soil or grass for them to peck or play with, is that ok or can I use anything else as a substitute?

To be happy, they need at least a place to dust bathe. A kiddie pool or large tub with sand and dirt.
They also love to scratch in dirt, look for bugs and seeds and nibble succulent plants. Scratching in the dirt is what they like to do all day. It can work but they like other things.

Q3. I have a 3 litre plastic water feeder I am putting in 15ml of ACV, is this too much? I have noticed the chickens are drinking the water slightly slower than last week

That's probably ok but you might want to cut back to 10ml.

Q.4 I fill the water feeder to 3 litres and let me drink the same water for 1 week, is this ok?

I like to let them have fresh water daily. If they don't scratch dirt into it, it can go a few days.

Q5. My chickens are 21 weeks and the eggs they lay are small, will the eggs grow bigger as the chicken gets older?

Yes, those are pullet eggs, in a couple months they'll be bigger.

Q6. I have a light sussex and a blue bell, is it true the brown bantam chickens
lays more eggs than the ones I've got?

I don't know.

Q7. I'm told that after 3 years the chickens stop laying eggs, what do people do with them after this period in this forum?

Healthy chickens can lay eggs for 10 years or more. They just lay the most in the first 2 or 3 years. They take a nice annual break after that. Some people keep them as pets, some eat them, your choice.

Q8. I have noticed my chickens do not lay their eggs in the nest box, the person I brought it from told me to block the next box until they lay eggs, which I did. now I find eggs on the coop floor, what can I do so they lay in the nest box?

Blocking the nest box keeps them from sleeping in them if the roosts aren't significantly higher. The nests need to be available at onset of lay. Now you'll have to make them attractive. They should be fairly dark and secluded. Putting fake eggs or golf balls in them helps.

Q9. How many eggs will I expect the chickens to lay in a week - blue bell & Light sussex?

Not familiar with blue bell but Sussex are very good layers at about 200 or so a year. That includes molting and winter break. The first year you can probably expect 5 a week per. They'll molt the second autumn.


Many Thanks
Click to expand...
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! TwoCrows gave you some good ideas, be sure to check out the Learning Center
900 mm is about 3 feet, most people can keep chickens in a 4 foot fence if they clip wings but even that is not be quite high enough, especially when the chickens are young, or if there is something for them to get up on close to the fence to use as a set up.
Your run is concrete? A lot of people really really like sand in the runs, here is a nice thread on it https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/444759/got-sand-you-should concrete is hard on their feet and legs and you probably want to cover it with something.
Most people seem to use about 1 tablespoon per gallon of water twice a week or so.
I like to change the water at least every other day or so to keep it clean, some people do go longer if they have closed watering systems... if you are adding vitamins, AVC etc to it you probably want to change it more often.
Chickens start out laying small eggs and they will gradually get larger over the first few months until they lay the size expected for their breed in about three months.
I am not sure what the brown bantam you mean is? Most bantams are not very good layers, the Sussex tend to be decent layers as do the BlueBells(Marans crosses) from what I have read, do't have those, usually around 4-5 eggs a week at least when they are young and laying well.
Chickens will lay the most eggs when they are around 1-2 years old, then they will gradually lay fewer and fewer eggs, the general rule of thumb is a chicken will lay about half the eggs at age five as it did at a year. What people do with them depends, if they have them for eggs only they will usually replace the chickens when they go into their second molt at about 2.5 years, some will wait a few more years until they slow down even more, if they have the chickens mostly as pets they tend to just keep them until they die... what they do with them when they replace them varies, some people eat spent hens, others sell them or give them away.
Make sure your nesting boxes are inviting to the chickens, they should be dark and secluded, that they are easy for the chickens to get into (perch on front), have fake eggs/ golf balls in the nests to make the chickens think it is a good spot to lay, plenty of nesting material in the nests. if you want to post a picture of your nesting boxes people maybe able to give you suggestions.
My Speckled and Light Sussex seem to lay about 4-5 eggs a week when they are laying well, the BlueBell(Marans crosses) they advertise as laying about 5 a week also.
 
You have received excellent information from previous responders, so I'll just say
welcome-byc.gif
 

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