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BUTT NUGGETS EXPRESS

BUTT NUGGETS EXPRESS

Chirping
Mar 7, 2020
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Hi I had recently bought laying hens in kind of like a variety pack deal color eggs. I have narrow down my hens to be five of them either Americana or Prairie Bluebell. Which I'm really not sure of any how just going off of baby chick pictures. The other four are Marans. What is the best thing to feed our egg-laying hens? I've read up on a few things but I would really like input on what's work well for y'all on these breeds. Also what environments will make them the happiest? It is starting to warm up where we live so I'm feeling more comfortable of letting them go outside into are smaller coop we have for them while we put our finishing touches are large coop. We have a lot of hawks, foxes and coyotes so we're planning on a chicken coop, a larger pen area just for free roaming and also a large roaming tunnel around our garden.
 

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Also, to answer your other questions, just feed them any layer feed. I feed Country Companion Later Crumbles. When I'm hatching eggs I put them on Purina Layena as it makes their shell and egg quality better. They love free ranging, as long as it's safe and no predators. I have a large chicken tractor that they love. Dried mealworms are always a big hit.
 
Right now they should be on a chick starter/grower. When they start laying switch them to an all flock or game bird feed with free choice oyster shell. If you have predators "sounds like you do" be sure their coop and run is very secure. The bigger the better with your coop and run will make for happy hens. Daily treats "10% or less of their diet" are also good.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I feed Flock Raiser from hatch to adulthood. At 15 weeks, put out one or multiple containers of oyster shell for the active layers. This is important if you have males, juveniles or molting/non-laying birds in your flock.
Lots of space, lots of perching and hiding locations in their run, keep everything as dry as you can and make sure they have LOTS of ventilation in the coop.
I use electric poultry netting for first level ground predator deterrent.
Second level is 1/2" hardware cloth around the run with a solid roof and 1/2" HC covering all vents and window openings in the coop.
 
Gray Farms said:
Right now they should be on a chick starter/grower. When they start laying switch them to an all flock or game bird feed with free choice oyster shell. If you have predators "sounds like you do" be sure their coop and run is very secure. The bigger the better with your coop and run will make for happy hens. Daily treats "10% or less of their diet" are also good.
Click to expand...
Thank you! We have three large outdoor dogs on our property: Blue Heeler, Blue Heeler Shepherd mix and a Great Pyrenees Heeler mix. I gave them a test run in our smaller coop on a warm day and introduce our dogs to them. They were always sleep very interested because it's something new yes, but after I show them that no not a snack not a food they're okay they're good. The dogs mostly just lay there and watch them not a I'm going to eat you wash them more of what are you watch. They never tried to get to them and our Great Pyrenees friend who we called the neighbor kid he's a pit bull pup that comes and visits very friendly. He came and was checking out our chicks in the coop and the Pyrenees did not like that and make sure there's a distance between the dog that doesn't live here and our new family members. So I'm confident as long as I lock the coop at night so they can't go out to the pens, I think our dogs will help protect. Against land predators.
 
MGG said:
Also, to answer your other questions, just feed them any layer feed. I feed Country Companion Later Crumbles. When I'm hatching eggs I put them on Purina Layena as it makes their shell and egg quality better. They love free ranging, as long as it's safe and no predators. I have a large chicken tractor that they love. Dried mealworms are always a big hit.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I will try the chicken tractor idea also to give them even more options.
 
Gray Farms said:
Right now they should be on a chick starter/grower. When they start laying switch them to an all flock or game bird feed with free choice oyster shell. If you have predators "sounds like you do" be sure their coop and run is very secure. The bigger the better with your coop and run will make for happy hens. Daily treats "10% or less of their diet" are also good.
Click to expand...
DobieLover said:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I feed Flock Raiser from hatch to adulthood. At 15 weeks, put out one or multiple containers of oyster shell for the active layers. This is important if you have males, juveniles or molting/non-laying birds in your flock.
Lots of space, lots of perching and hiding locations in their run, keep everything as dry as you can and make sure they have LOTS of ventilation in the coop.
I use electric poultry netting for first level ground predator deterrent.
Second level is 1/2" hardware cloth around the run with a solid roof and 1/2" HC covering all vents and window openings in the coop.
Click to expand...
These two posts tell you all you need to know to start out your little flock!

Welcome to BYC!!!
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

You have received some great advice already. Chick feed or flock raiser type feed till they are laying. Then layer feed or flock raise with oyster shell on the side for strong eggshells. Plenty of exercise and sunshine, fresh water daily, and they will be happy!

Welcome aboard! :)
 

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