Hello I have just got our other 4 hens for a total of 9 all together. Im a complete noob and always thought you need the rooster for the eggs?? Since finding out 1 month ago this was not the case if you only wanted eggs I managed to jump in with both feet. I had a coop built and an area penned off for them150-200 sq ft with netting overtop as well. Of course as a noob I have been avidly searching for any and all info on hens in general and I have questions, but then again Im sure there are questions Im not even aware of soooo,....
I titled it noob 101 because for example whats a pullet? At first I thought this was a hen that was older than a chick but to young to lay?? maybe not? Also is there a way to tell a Black Australorp from say a new Jersey Giant. I guessed these to be Australorp but I was told today they are not. I will post some pictures later tonight of the questionable ones. Now I don't expect anyone to write me out a long post that would cover everything they need to know on chickens and Im trying to learn as quickly as possible on my own but can someone with experience post a link that covers all the bases nicely? I mean without knowing too much for myself on the subject leads to hrs and hrs of reading the same stuff and trying to gather the few NEW tidbits of info incased in it all. So a worthy article explaining the basics of chicken husbandry would be well digested on my end. Iv lost a bird and then found her 2 days later under the coop. I think I have provided a decent run and a decent coop for a guy who's never handled a bird at all. What we have is 2 Barred Rocks, 4 Long Island Reds and the 3 in question I thought were Australorps today Im told that they are most likely New Jersey Giants. Pics shortly to help me identify.
Im loving the life right now with these birds given to me at 4 weeks of age and I have had them for 2 weeks now so they are 6 weeks old. Out of work right now and I have started a colony of mealwors for them and also plan on a worm bin for them. We have the compost but I feel the worm bin will be easier to harvest when needed. How much to supplement the diet with these treats if they have access to the run all day? I have heard of chickens turning their nose up at the feed and wait for the treats when there is too much coming and I would like these birds to be very well looked after but I also want them to be chickens.
I will post some pics of the coop, its run and the birds and get it up here for you all to look at and help me ident these 3 black birds. All I can say is 1 has black feet, the another kind of mottled black blotches like 50/50 and the one i received today has yellow feet?? I thought they were Australorps but that is MY ident and I was told its not so but the young fella couldn't really remember what the were. I suggested maybe NJG and he seemed to think they were this. Ill go snap pics!
I titled it noob 101 because for example whats a pullet? At first I thought this was a hen that was older than a chick but to young to lay?? maybe not? Also is there a way to tell a Black Australorp from say a new Jersey Giant. I guessed these to be Australorp but I was told today they are not. I will post some pictures later tonight of the questionable ones. Now I don't expect anyone to write me out a long post that would cover everything they need to know on chickens and Im trying to learn as quickly as possible on my own but can someone with experience post a link that covers all the bases nicely? I mean without knowing too much for myself on the subject leads to hrs and hrs of reading the same stuff and trying to gather the few NEW tidbits of info incased in it all. So a worthy article explaining the basics of chicken husbandry would be well digested on my end. Iv lost a bird and then found her 2 days later under the coop. I think I have provided a decent run and a decent coop for a guy who's never handled a bird at all. What we have is 2 Barred Rocks, 4 Long Island Reds and the 3 in question I thought were Australorps today Im told that they are most likely New Jersey Giants. Pics shortly to help me identify.
Im loving the life right now with these birds given to me at 4 weeks of age and I have had them for 2 weeks now so they are 6 weeks old. Out of work right now and I have started a colony of mealwors for them and also plan on a worm bin for them. We have the compost but I feel the worm bin will be easier to harvest when needed. How much to supplement the diet with these treats if they have access to the run all day? I have heard of chickens turning their nose up at the feed and wait for the treats when there is too much coming and I would like these birds to be very well looked after but I also want them to be chickens.
I will post some pics of the coop, its run and the birds and get it up here for you all to look at and help me ident these 3 black birds. All I can say is 1 has black feet, the another kind of mottled black blotches like 50/50 and the one i received today has yellow feet?? I thought they were Australorps but that is MY ident and I was told its not so but the young fella couldn't really remember what the were. I suggested maybe NJG and he seemed to think they were this. Ill go snap pics!
