Self Introduction

[Mataa]

Hi everyone.
I'm grateful for being allowed to join this platform.

I'm raising 18 Astralops which are about 16 weeks. They might be half males and half females. Some I cannot easily tell. I bought them when they were 4 weeks old.

I've been feeding them on a home-mix of maize bran, sunflower cake, fish meal, and ground eggs.

I'm here to learn and possibly share what am learning from the chickens. The critical issue to me now is when they should start laying and if there is any special feed I need to put them on.

Thanks all.
Mataa Mafelomale

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC - we are glad to welcome you to our community.

 

[Perris]

hello @Mataa ! welcome to BYC
good luck with your new flock!

 

[N F C]

Thanks for joining us, it's nice to have you here!

 

[Quackter]

Hi everyone.
I'm grateful for being allowed to join this platform.

I'm raising 18 Astralops which are about 16 weeks. They might be half males and half females. Some I cannot easily tell. I bought them when they were 4 weeks old.

I've been feeding them on a home-mix of maize bran, sunflower cake, fish meal, and ground eggs.

I'm here to learn and possibly share what am learning from the chickens. The critical issue to me now is when they should start laying and if there is any special feed I need to put them on.

Thanks all.
Mataa Mafelomale

Welcome to the forum Mataa, there is a whole lot of sticky shoe'd people here that will help you get started feeding. Without counting everything up, sounds like you have a pretty good mix going. If you are feeding whole eggs, not just the shells, you may want to do the numbers on the calcium before the pullets get close to laying. Whole eggs are good protein too.

16-18 weeks old by the book when Australorps should start laying. I have two of them, I think they were on the later end of that. Weather, daylight, stress, etc can all make it vary.

Welcome, and I am sure someone will come along and start throwing calculations.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

Here are some links to useful resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - “How to...” guides
• Great go-to resource - Learning Centre
• Good starting point for browsing the site - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue
• Excellent sources of local information - U.S. States thread list,UK, Europe, Australia, Canada

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Mataa, enjoy your Australorps, they are so far my favorite breed. Welcome to BYC

 

[DobieLover]

Hello, Mataa, and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Your mix sounds pretty good. I'd offer a separate container or two of oyster shell pieces now. They should start laying within a month or so.
The cockerels would be easily distinguishable now. Feel free to post a new thread under the What Breed or Gender is This? forum for help.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

 

[Chickentwit]

Welcome I am new also. There’s a lot of good advise here