North Carolina

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Yeah, when hubby says... NO MORE COOPS! I laugh and go about my hatching anyways. He just builds me another one, and gets over it!

I think I'll take this approach, he has a work shop not very big but it also holds his motorcycle. I'll go out and start taking measurements and such to see if there is room to move anyone in, that just might get him motivated..

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

NH, the starter food you are using should say on the package how many weeks to feed. You want the young ones to get "enough" protein. Chick starter has 18% or higher. Laying mash or pellets has 16%.

I have been told to feed them starter until they start to lay. Or until they are 20 weeks. Or some other conflicting advice! Since plenty of protein is the goal for the little guys and plenty of calcium is the goal for layers, you can attack it a few different ways.

Buy oyster shell now. Put some in a bucket with drain holes and leave it in their run or house. They will nibble at it now and start eating it when they begin to crave it.

Buy one bag of Purina Game Bird Starter. It is 30% protein. Mix a portion of the GBS with the other food you use to boost protein levels.

When you think they are ready for layer feed, you can start mixing the layer crumbles with the chick starter for a couple of weeks.

Roosters eat what the hens do. They usually are so busy calling the girls and patrolling that the roosters do not eat very much.

Hope this helps!

 

[BHep]

Me too ! Crates & dog kennels. I just built my first coop/tractor myself last week. 4x4 for 4 bantams. I did such a good job, I built a second 8x8, split down the middle, I just didn't take into account where it would fit in my already overflowing barn

But squeezed it in. But I need about 10 more

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beth if you start traveling building these tractors, please stop here first...

 

[greeneacre]

Quote:
Sorry everyone is having such a bad time with losses must be something in the air. I did lose two young chicks just put out in the growout pen. They sillies have to be put in the coop every night they seem to be taking longer that most to learn that. they have been piling up and the littler ones got squished before I got home ( late that night)

Putting sugar on the mucous membranes does shrink them down. We do it here at work on horse uteruses and prolasped rectums all the time. Just use straight sugar mixing it dereases that drawing power. It works by pullling out excess water in the tissues and shrinks them down. You can then gently push it back in. You may need to do it several times.

Carolyn

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Carolyn for correcting that I had read to mix with water to make a paste. will remember that for futher reference but hopefully not for me.

 

[ourlittleflock]

Quote:
may I ask what pullet bedding is - do you have a link for pic?
thanks

Pellets are pine that have been compressed into a pellet form to use as animal bedding. They start as pellets but when get wet fall apart and turn into fine shavings. Different places carry different brands and obviously with different ingredients in them. I see TSC has one with activated charcoal to use for rabbits. We got ours at our local feed store. This was our second bag and DH says it was different from the first bag. We didn't notice a problem or strong chemical smell till the second bag but by time we put two and two together the damage was already done.

This company is a local NC company and DH is going to take a trip over to their plant to find out their compression process. The problem with these types of products is there is no information on the bag about what they use to compress the pellets, just says 100% pine,for all we know they may use formaldehyde to compress?? They are using something as the chemical smell is strong in the bag. We still have a bit left, maybe I could send some up to state and see if they could tell me??

Here is a link I found here in BYC of some using them and loving them. I guess you just have to be careful which ones you buy, how you would do that I'm not sure?? https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=312450

I just know that it was the only thing my brooders had in common as no one came in contact with each other and I lost chicks out of three separate ones. I lost two yesterday and have three more that I am still not hopeful for, after that everyone seems to be doing o.k.

thanks - I use the horse bedding which is the same thing as the link above and absolutely love them!!! Cuts down on dust.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Quote:
I am so sorry many of you fine folks are losing chicks

I hope things improve and quickly for all

As for pigeons....what type? We have homers, use to race, and a few rollers. I just like the sounds of them and when they are flying about

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well sorry to say I think my mama hen has given up the fight, I had to take her away from her chicks because she was making choking sounds and I didn't want her to die with them tucked under her wings..

I put a heat lamp over them and put a towel and stuffed animal in with them and last time I listened they were quiet. They will be 4 weeks old this weekend. I am totally confused on what happened to her. I know these things happen but it's still sad, and I feel so helpless to know what to do. Anyway I hope your little ones are doing better HT and yours too Beth..

 

[BHep]

Coop Scoop Boogie..... they are Lahores. I have to get some pictures. They are very beautiful and I love the way the cooo..



ML... So sorry about your mama hen.