OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[FlyingNunFarm]

I would continue with free choice oyster shells. I use rabbit feeder type hoppers in each pen, one with grit, the other with oyster shells if pen contains laying hens. Does not take much room, and just keep an eye on them, add some shell and granite maybe every couple weeks. Just ran out and took a pretty bad phone shot, but you can get an idea what I mean. Not much waste with these.

Thanks. I finished off the layer feed and was thinking about buying more but I'll stick with just oyster shell. I like those feeders. My chickens make such a mess. They do better with crumbles over pellets but the oyster shell looks they have food fights with. They flick it onto the floor then scratch at it till it goes flying. Silly birds.

 

[big medicine]

Thanks. I finished off the layer feed and was thinking about buying more but I'll stick with just oyster shell. I like those feeders. My chickens make such a mess. They do better with crumbles over pellets but the oyster shell looks they have food fights with. They flick it onto the floor then scratch at it till it goes flying. Silly birds.

I try to hang all my feeders so the birds can reach them but at the upper range of their reach, seems to cut down on spilled feed/oyster shells some.

 

[mamatink7]

Looking for opinions or thoughts....
When I got younger chicks this year I switched my feed from a layer pellet to a flock raiser crumble. I had read young birds not yet laying and boys shouldn't have the high calcium in a layer feed. With one new girl laying and at least 2 girls molting I put out a dish of the layer feed I had left thinking if they need that calcium now they could help themselves. I swear I see everyone but the laying hens eating the layer feed! I do have oyster shell out but more ends up spilled on the floor then anyone eats.

My question is should I bother with 2 different kinds of food? Keep up with the oyster shell?

I will have 12 hens once everyone is laying and 2 Roos in total. (As long as the boys continue to get along) I don't want to over calcium anyone.

I'm dealing with this now...I have 19 pullets and 1 Roo, 19 wk & 16 wk. When they started laying last week, I added oyster and omega 3 (both from Manna pro brand) in separate tin for the girls. I am transitioning them to feather fixer. This is suggested from purina so I don't have to feed them 2 different feeds and the girls will get what they need too. I don't want him to end up with severe health issues and layers need special things for eggs.beside this feed is perfect for molting and beyond (read Nutrena feather fixer)

 

[WVduckchick]

So my broody has been sitting on eggs for a few weeks. I could have sworn she was supposed to have babies this week but none came. I took her eggs out and candled them. Two are certainly near the last stages of development as they are mostly full. I marked them so we wouldn't remove them with the other eggs but stupid me forgot to date when she started sitting on them. 

How long should I wait on them to hatch? I don't want to have the problem of them rotting underneath her.

I would candle them every so often, looking for movement and drawdown. She will likely get off of them if none are going to hatch. Or after some hatch and she thinks the rest won't. My broody hatched some over the weekend, a day or two early, I think because its been so hot.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks. I finished off the layer feed and was thinking about buying more but I'll stick with just oyster shell. I like those feeders. My chickens make such a mess. They do better with crumbles over pellets but the oyster shell looks they have food fights with. They flick it onto the floor then scratch at it till it goes flying. Silly birds.

I've been feeding All Flock or Flock Raiser (just recently read that Flock Raiser is too much protein though :/) with a bowl of oyster shell. Most of my hens old enough to lay went thru their broody spells this summer and some are starting to lay again so I just put out new oyster shell.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I've been feeding All Flock or Flock Raiser (just recently read that Flock Raiser is too much protein though :/) with a bowl of oyster shell. Most of my hens old enough to lay went thru their broody spells this summer and some are starting to lay again so I just put out new oyster shell.

All Flock from Nutrena is 18% Protein were as Flock Raiser by Purina is 20%.
All Flock calcium 1.4 min to 1.9 max. Flock Raiser calcium 0.8 min to 1.3 max.
Protein in layer pellets range from 16 to 18. And calcium ranges 3.25 to 4.5.
I thought Purina had a feather fixer but I couldn't find it on their website. Nutrenas feather fixer is 18 protein and 3.25-3.75 calcium. That seems to be in the middle....and says you can feed it all the time.
I may have to switch to Nutrena. All Flock or Feather Fixer both seem to have a better balance of protein to calcium.
This was easier before I had youngins and Roos! LOL

 

[mamatink7]

All Flock from Nutrena is 18% Protein were as Flock Raiser by Purina is 20%.
All Flock calcium 1.4 min to 1.9 max. Flock Raiser calcium 0.8 min to 1.3 max.
Protein in layer pellets range from 16 to 18. And calcium ranges 3.25 to 4.5.
I thought Purina had a feather fixer but I couldn't find it on their website. Nutrenas feather fixer is 18 protein and 3.25-3.75 calcium. That seems to be in the middle....and says you can feed it all the time.
I may have to switch to Nutrena. All Flock or Feather Fixer both seem to have a better balance of protein to calcium.
This was easier before I had youngins and Roos! LOL

glad you checked the site seems to be helping with ours. Been on it all week. Not to mention it's not overly priced either.

 

[Kraftcrazychick]

Someone attacked my broody and ripped off part of her comb yesterday. Tonight I grabbed the suspected offender and stuck her rump in time out. I'm pretty sure it's her as she looks immaculate and everyone else looks like hell. Even the Rooster is almost missing his entire tail.

 

[kindofodd]

My first flock of 4 chickies is 3 weeks old today. Also today thanks to the holiday, they spent the majority of the day outside for the first time (2 other short stays out before). Their brooder box is in the house. I've been terrified they won't acclimate to the weather before our nasty NE Ohio winter hits. Unfortunately the warmest hours of the day are when I'm at work so they're not getting out as much as I'd like. And I continue to take them in when the temps drop in the evening. But they've got to go soon. One is a troublemaker/escape artist.
I'd love peoples opinions about when I can stop bringing them in. I am terrified of using supplemental heat in their small prefab'd coop. Afraid I may cook them to death but overnights have been in the low 60s.
Thoughts?

Someone could have told me it's OBVIOUS when they cold lol! Poor babies were peeping like crazy and I couldn't figure out why. They have NOT liked to be held but when I put one in my lap and she tries to bury herself under my arm I figured it out. The other 3 attacked me in a cuddle fest and were trying to bury themselves in my hair! Great fun for me. They are back in the house tonight but without the heat lamp

 

[findlaychickens]

Speaking of cold and prefab coops, with winter coming I was wondering if anyone knows how a prefab coop from TSC will hold up as far as warmth in winter? I really never did have or do have the ability or time to custom build a custom coop. I just really hope I don't have to make any major changes to my prefab coop come colder weather.