NY chicken lover!!!!

[Pyxis]

Lol boskelli. But he's gonna have to wait a while for the wives to become of age!

I'll give them feed mix at least twice a day, and the other stuff ( kitchen scraps, ets) once a day. When they're old enough.

For chicks you definitely want to feed them free choice e.g. give them unlimited access to a feeder full of food. They are growing and need to be able to eat all the time. They'll eat all day whenever they feel hungry

 

[Devona]

Thanks, Pyxis ! Never fed chicks before.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Come spring I will be buying 3 feed types . Feeding seperated won't be a problem though. The 1 year olds have a nice sized coop and free range, the meaties will be housed alone with a coop and run, and the babies will be in with me until feathered or warm temps. Once the babies go out its down to 2 feeds. Grower for the old ladies, roo's and new girls. Meat feed for the meaties.

Well hold on. I'm getting my meaties same time as the new layer babies, they could all have starter the first month right? Then just buy meaties their feed and call it good?

Oh in May I need a few opinions on housing set ups. I have space and materials just could use input. Yall are my only chicken help.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Gramma, I was only gonna get the grit because the seller already started giving them grit, and if I want to try and give them mealworms or veggies, won't they need some? And should I give the chicks apc in their water also?

heres the thing... chicks grow like weeds & are starved all the time . Giving them grit ...will do nothing but fill their crop or tummy .
They need the nutrition of real food ...They should have only starter at first ...chicks can have problems even on starter..
Starter is Perfect for them ...it is just what they NEED !

They easily can get pasty butt just from temperature changes / food changes
Having a chick ...is not a guarantee that you will have a hen / Rooster ..some dont make it .
I know you want to spoil them ...we all do ...but give them some time to grow & get stronger
for a treat give them a small amount ..start with something easy like a couple of kernals of corn

Yes you can add just a little ACV to their water right away ...( just a drop ) it will help stabilize their digestive system
thanks for sharing the heating hut ..that was so cute...how the chicks stood on it

 

[Gramma Chick]

Gramma, I've never used ACV for chickens. I have a gallon of kinda homemade ACV, it's clear (clear as in not hazy it has cider color), no mold and definitely has the 'mother' in the bottom, can vinegar go bad? Looks like vinegar and smells like it. I don't know if I dare use it, but like you said, Bragg's is expensive, seems a shame to throw this away.
And sorry about your hen, what was she, pretty bird.

It shouldnt go bad with the mother in it ..you should be able to make more if you have mother
Does it smell strongly like alcohol sort of ? it is probably still good . as braggs has that kind of smell .
just a little different stronger smell than over the counter vinegar .

She was a mix - her momma was a olive egger / cuckcoo maran mix ...with the black splashes I think poppa was a Black Australorp

Devona, I haven't used acv in the water, but I feed my chickens fermented feed, which I think is based on the same theory. Fermented feed is easier to digest, so the chickens get all the nutrients out of it instead of just a small percentage from dry feed. Poops are more solid and don't have much smell anymore, and I use about half of the feed I did when they were eating dry food. Check into it- there's a huge thread about it in the feed/water section of the forum.
Heres a link about ACV - https://poultrykeeper.com/health-suppliments/apple-cider-vinegar/

I think newspaper as a bedding material can be trucky- it gets wet, slippery and then smelly quickly. Pine shavings have been great for me, from b roofer age. Straw will probably be the same, especially indoors. And sterile potting mix seems weird. And dirty!!
Gramma, I'm so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful chicken!!

You can use it ...it sure is cheep if you already have it !

..it does not absorb real well .
I have used it for chicks until they start eating it -
Then I change it to something else ..if you got it ...try it ...see if you like it .
Straw or Shavings is fine too , i use natural stuff ....dry grass & leaves that I have gathered

 

[Gramma Chick]

Welcome ! may you hatch many chickens !

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Sugarstark--Welcome to BYC!

Pyxis--Congrats!

Rancher--Warm and well wishes to you and DW. I hope you both feel better.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Long time no post but life has been in the way. I have a couple of chicken questions.

1: Something is digging in my coop. Has been for quite some time. It's large, makes large holes and shoves all kinds of rocks, debris etc out of its way. Sometime ago, my husband locked down both of our feeders to help cut down pong the mice, and it has, but this critter is still around.

Any idea what it might be? It isn't bothering the chickens or anything, but it's tunneling is making a right mess o of my coop floor,


2: We switched from a sand floor to wood shavings (deep litter) this year. But my hens seem to have no interest in scratching around, digging up and over turning the shavings. This means I have to go in there every other day and turn it myself. I don't think I'm doing this right, as we have a pretty strong ammonia smell. It might be due to having too many birds, but I culled the flock down a little over a week ago to remedy that. Any suggestions/thoughts on what I might be doing wrong?

3: Pretty much all of my hens have stopped laying completely, for almost a month and a half now. My Silkies and bantam sebright are laying like champs. And my two OE pullets are laying. But none of my other big girls are laying and they haven't for a long time. I know they slow down in the winter, but I have never experienced a complete cessation like this. Any ideas? Or is this normal for a non-lighted coop?

Again, I hope you all have had a wonderful chickeny year, wonderful holidays and best wishes for a terrific 2016! Many thanks for any advice you guys can share.

 

[Lady Loveall]

Somehow my broody hen got herself another egg at some point yesterday. She's now almost a week in. Is that extra week too much for her? Should I take it away after the other one hatches? I have the incubator going so finishing it off it there is an option. Please some advice this way, don't want my chicken going longer than is healthy for her.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Long time no post but life has been in the way. I have a couple of chicken questions.

1: Something is digging in my coop. Has been for quite some time. It's large, makes large holes and shoves all kinds of rocks, debris etc out of its way. Sometime ago, my husband locked down both of our feeders to help cut down pong the mice, and it has, but this critter is still around.

Any idea what it might be? It isn't bothering the chickens or anything, but it's tunneling is making a right mess o of my coop floor,


2: We switched from a sand floor to wood shavings (deep litter) this year. But my hens seem to have no interest in scratching around, digging up and over turning the shavings. This means I have to go in there every other day and turn it myself. I don't think I'm doing this right, as we have a pretty strong ammonia smell. It might be due to having too many birds, but I culled the flock down a little over a week ago to remedy that. Any suggestions/thoughts on what I might be doing wrong?

3: Pretty much all of my hens have stopped laying completely, for almost a month and a half now. My Silkies and bantam sebright are laying like champs. And my two OE pullets are laying. But none of my other big girls are laying and they haven't for a long time. I know they slow down in the winter, but I have never experienced a complete cessation like this. Any ideas? Or is this normal for a non-lighted coop?

Again, I hope you all have had a wonderful chickeny year, wonderful holidays and best wishes for a terrific 2016! Many thanks for any advice you guys can share.

in reference to you deep litter. I started it about 2 months ago and love it. I have 20 birds in a 8×16 coop. I use multiple types of material all at once.
Regular pine shavings
Pine pellets like used for horses. Its so dry it helps absorb moisture
Fresh mulched pine or whatever was cut that week for a fresh smell
Regular yard dirt in a 3×3 box for playing in. It gets kicked all over the coop so helps with the breakdown
Leaves
Cardboard to help absorb moisture

My flock just like yours won't mix it for me so weekly (or any time I see poo) I toss it around a bit. It should be fairly thick as well. Mine is about 10 inches now. Just keep adding and tossing until it doesn't smell. You can use about any dry organic matter that is absorbant. News paper, kids school work that was going to get recycled , old bills, anything you clean out of your filing cabinet in the annual clean out.