marlaw
Songster
- Apr 24, 2019
- 55
- 199
- 106
My husband and I are going to be first time chicken owners in the next couple of weeks! We've been fanciers for about a year now and finally taking the next step.
Trying to proceed cautiously since we are rookies and have chosen such a small bird. I really want to give them an awesome life. I've been browsing the forums and online for advice specific to this breed but having trouble getting some questions answered. I have a lot of questions so I'm just going to throw them out there. Any insight is appreciated! FYI: We are building them a very secure coop with a roomy run that has lots of vertical space. The chickens will be our pets and don't have any commercial interest in them at the moment.
1) Chicken Feed: We know we need crumble instead of pellets...what macro nutrient should we get? Do they have different protein requirements at different stages of life if they aren't being used for meat/eggs, etc?
2) We're planning to buy 1 rooster and 3 hens from an established breeder. Is this a good ratio to start with?
3) Possibly stupid genetics questions: I know they don't breed true...But they'll still kind of resemble their mom and dad, right? For example, if I have a mating pair of brassy blacks, the baby will technically be a brassy black too, right? Or could 2 brassy blacks possibly give me a black tailed buff?
4) What's the deal with diatomaceous earth? I work at a rural supply store and I notice people buy it a lot for chickens. I always thought it was for them to take dust baths in but some people have said they mix it in with their food. Would it be safe to make them an area of DE that they could bathe in anytime they wanted?
5) Worming: Is it general practice to worm chickens periodically or only when you notice symptoms of internal parasites?
6) Free ranging: The coop will be inside a fenced in garden area. I thought it might be nice to let them out in the garden with me under supervision while I work. I'm really terrified that one will fly out of the fenced area out of reach or get nabbed by a hawk. Am I being too paranoid or am I better off keeping them in their run since they are so tiny?
7) Is it true that they need those nipple type waterers because they will drown in the trough type?
Those are my most burning questions. Thanks for your time! I am still poking around the forums looking at Serama threads and am so grateful for the resource!
Trying to proceed cautiously since we are rookies and have chosen such a small bird. I really want to give them an awesome life. I've been browsing the forums and online for advice specific to this breed but having trouble getting some questions answered. I have a lot of questions so I'm just going to throw them out there. Any insight is appreciated! FYI: We are building them a very secure coop with a roomy run that has lots of vertical space. The chickens will be our pets and don't have any commercial interest in them at the moment.
1) Chicken Feed: We know we need crumble instead of pellets...what macro nutrient should we get? Do they have different protein requirements at different stages of life if they aren't being used for meat/eggs, etc?
2) We're planning to buy 1 rooster and 3 hens from an established breeder. Is this a good ratio to start with?
3) Possibly stupid genetics questions: I know they don't breed true...But they'll still kind of resemble their mom and dad, right? For example, if I have a mating pair of brassy blacks, the baby will technically be a brassy black too, right? Or could 2 brassy blacks possibly give me a black tailed buff?
4) What's the deal with diatomaceous earth? I work at a rural supply store and I notice people buy it a lot for chickens. I always thought it was for them to take dust baths in but some people have said they mix it in with their food. Would it be safe to make them an area of DE that they could bathe in anytime they wanted?
5) Worming: Is it general practice to worm chickens periodically or only when you notice symptoms of internal parasites?
6) Free ranging: The coop will be inside a fenced in garden area. I thought it might be nice to let them out in the garden with me under supervision while I work. I'm really terrified that one will fly out of the fenced area out of reach or get nabbed by a hawk. Am I being too paranoid or am I better off keeping them in their run since they are so tiny?
7) Is it true that they need those nipple type waterers because they will drown in the trough type?
Those are my most burning questions. Thanks for your time! I am still poking around the forums looking at Serama threads and am so grateful for the resource!