Solanacae
Crowing
I have a couple of red sex linked chicks, most likely ISA Browns, that I picked up at a farm store because they were the youngest chicks there and I needed a companion for a single chick that I hatched. They were also in a bin of “Assorted Rare Breeds” and I initially thought the were Buff Orps, but they clearly aren’t as they’ve feathered in. I still think I would have gotten them even if I knew they were layer hybrids because I was desperate to get my little one some company.
I personally dislike the idea of high production birds in that they are so prone to reproductive disorders, but here I am with two of them, and I feel a certain responsibility to take care of them as best I can so they can live a healthy life.
My flock of 8 (not counting the two chicks) has a 108 sq ft coop with plenty of ventilation and access to a large run on the side of my house. They are let into the back yard in the late afternoon to forage in the grass. I don’t light my coop.
They are fed free choice 18% layer pellets, and I have 20% chick crumble available to the chicks. Also lots of fresh water, grit and oyster/egg shells are available to them. They have access to my compost heap, where I put vegetable/fruit scraps and I ferment some feed which I give to them daily. On occasion I will give them mealworms but I only produce them on a small scale, so it’s far from a daily occurrence. In the winter, I sprout barley and grow it to 2-3” so they have something green and interesting 3-4 times a week in addition to whatever gets thrown on the compost.
My flock is mixed breeds that are all mellow personalities. I have a 3 year old Marans for a flock queen and everyone gets along pretty well aside from the occasional squabbling over the best compost pile finds. The other hens are 1-2 years old. The chicks are being raised by my 2 year old Speckled Sussex, who went stubbornly broody and I gave her some eggs to hatch. No roosters.
Is there anything I could do differently that would help these little ones live as long and healthy a life as I can give them? I read one article that said they can have kidney stone issues and that adding acidifiers to their diet can help, but I’m not sure where to find something like that, or if that’s just one person saying random stuff.
I personally dislike the idea of high production birds in that they are so prone to reproductive disorders, but here I am with two of them, and I feel a certain responsibility to take care of them as best I can so they can live a healthy life.
My flock of 8 (not counting the two chicks) has a 108 sq ft coop with plenty of ventilation and access to a large run on the side of my house. They are let into the back yard in the late afternoon to forage in the grass. I don’t light my coop.
They are fed free choice 18% layer pellets, and I have 20% chick crumble available to the chicks. Also lots of fresh water, grit and oyster/egg shells are available to them. They have access to my compost heap, where I put vegetable/fruit scraps and I ferment some feed which I give to them daily. On occasion I will give them mealworms but I only produce them on a small scale, so it’s far from a daily occurrence. In the winter, I sprout barley and grow it to 2-3” so they have something green and interesting 3-4 times a week in addition to whatever gets thrown on the compost.
My flock is mixed breeds that are all mellow personalities. I have a 3 year old Marans for a flock queen and everyone gets along pretty well aside from the occasional squabbling over the best compost pile finds. The other hens are 1-2 years old. The chicks are being raised by my 2 year old Speckled Sussex, who went stubbornly broody and I gave her some eggs to hatch. No roosters.
Is there anything I could do differently that would help these little ones live as long and healthy a life as I can give them? I read one article that said they can have kidney stone issues and that adding acidifiers to their diet can help, but I’m not sure where to find something like that, or if that’s just one person saying random stuff.
