The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[countrygirl74]

PM Red Ridge. She has a chart & is an expert on mixing own feed.

Thanks!!!

 

[lindz8504]

I have just recently found this thread and subscribed. I am trying to slowly read through the whole thing.

Anyway, I have a question about feed as well. I currently have 25 chickens, 4 that are laying, 8 that are 20-24 weeks old, and then a broody hen with 10 chicks, plus my 2 roosters. I am wanting to feed everyone the same thing and not have to worry about the chicks eating the layer food and it causing problems. I just recently found a feed mill close by, and they said they can make pretty much whatever I want, but I don't really know what to ask for. They do make their own layer blend, so do I just ask for that without the added calcium? Right now I am feeding Layer Pellets to the 4 hens who are still in quarantine, and a medicated chick starter/grower from Southern States to everyone else (they didn't have any non-medicated and I was out of feed). Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[aoxa]

Never seen my current chickens do it, but they def do like to stretch in the sun. My quail sprawl all the time like that. It made me nervous the first day I hatched them, they'd all run around like mad, then at sleepy time, sprawl out as if they were sick or something.

You can see a few sprawled in this vid.

First ever time seeing direct sunlight. These were the chicks in the basement during the fire. They were already 2 weeks late being moved out, but if it wasn't for my procrastination they'd not be here.. and this is a total of 6 weeks late from the brooder... Because it took me a few weeks to get the baby barn after the fire.

 

[aoxa]

I have just recently found this thread and subscribed. I am trying to slowly read through the whole thing.

Anyway, I have a question about feed as well. I currently have 25 chickens, 4 that are laying, 8 that are 20-24 weeks old, and then a broody hen with 10 chicks, plus my 2 roosters. I am wanting to feed everyone the same thing and not have to worry about the chicks eating the layer food and it causing problems. I just recently found a feed mill close by, and they said they can make pretty much whatever I want, but I don't really know what to ask for. They do make their own layer blend, so do I just ask for that without the added calcium? Right now I am feeding Layer Pellets to the 4 hens who are still in quarantine, and a medicated chick starter/grower from Southern States to everyone else (they didn't have any non-medicated and I was out of feed). Any suggestions are appreciated!

Starter - unmedicated. Oyster shell on the side for the layers

Your babies need higher protein than the layer feed. 18% - 20% is what you'd aim for if that is their main food source.

The extra 2-4% is not going to bother your layers.

 

[countrygirl74]

I have just recently found this thread and subscribed. I am trying to slowly read through the whole thing.

Anyway, I have a question about feed as well. I currently have 25 chickens, 4 that are laying, 8 that are 20-24 weeks old, and then a broody hen with 10 chicks, plus my 2 roosters. I am wanting to feed everyone the same thing and not have to worry about the chicks eating the layer food and it causing problems. I just recently found a feed mill close by, and they said they can make pretty much whatever I want, but I don't really know what to ask for. They do make their own layer blend, so do I just ask for that without the added calcium? Right now I am feeding Layer Pellets to the 4 hens who are still in quarantine, and a medicated chick starter/grower from Southern States to everyone else (they didn't have any non-medicated and I was out of feed). Any suggestions are appreciated!

I have ducks and have had multiple ages of chickens as well (including some silkies and roosters). I have always fed all of them a grower feed. I've never used a layer feed at all. I just supply oyster shell free-choice in a little bowl. They know when and how much calcium they need. When I have baby chicks, everyone gets chick starter (non-medicated) feed for a few weeks, then we go back to the grower. It keeps it simple and everyone eats the same! I am currently working on my homemade feed, but I currently have no babies, so working on a whole grain one. I will probably just do the chick starter by the bag again when I have some babies and then go back to my "grower" feed.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote: use the same grains for all the chickens... I simply keep different "premix" buckets with the non-grain ingredients for different management groups.
Easy peasy... IOW, I have more alfalfa meal and fish meal in the premix ration for chicks than I do for adults... and even less for adults that are free ranging.
The grains are ground, mixed, and fermented and are all the same... keeps it simple that way.
Having to feed different grains would be a pain.

 

[Quailsong]

Aoxa, I remember reading about your basement babies. I love seeing them flopping all over the shavings. <3

lindz, with my quail I keep bowls of oyster shell for the girls to eat. For the chickens, I scatter it around the feeding area, or into the compost pile (middle of the floor on my deep litter coop) so they scratch it up for me. Same with eggshells, I just sprinkle it about the deep litter. They know it's there, but they gotta work for it.

 

[aoxa]

Aoxa, I remember reading about your basement babies. I love seeing them flopping all over the shavings. <3

lindz, with my quail I keep bowls of oyster shell for the girls to eat. For the chickens, I scatter it around the feeding area, or into the compost pile (middle of the floor on my deep litter coop) so they scratch it up for me. Same with eggshells, I just sprinkle it about the deep litter. They know it's there, but they gotta work for it.

They act like first time drunks ehehhe

 

[maggiemo]

Starter - unmedicated. Oyster shell on the side for the layers


The extra 2-4% is not going to bother your layers.

I have only had chickens for two years and always fed how aoxa is saying. In the last couple months I have two hens laying soft, or 1/2 shelled eggs. I am having a really hard time figuring out who it is. They are all in their 2nd laying season, so 18 to 22 months old. Some went through a mild molt, but nothing earth shattering like pictures I have seen. They all have nice bright combs and waddles. But, every day, or every other day I get one soft shell brown egg and one soft shell blue egg.
I have picked up all the birds and examined them and they all seem healthy and 'normal'.
I am thinking of giving them food with calcium in it and see if that takes care of the problem.
What do you guys think? The only other thing I can think of is figuring out who is laying the soft shells and culling them. That seems extreme...or does it????
Thanks.

 

[Quailsong]

I have only had chickens for two years and always fed how aoxa is saying. In the last couple months I have two hens laying soft, or 1/2 shelled eggs. I am having a really hard time figuring out who it is. They are all in their 2nd laying season, so 18 to 22 months old. Some went through a mild molt, but nothing earth shattering like pictures I have seen. They all have nice bright combs and waddles. But, every day, or every other day I get one soft shell brown egg and one soft shell blue egg.
I have picked up all the birds and examined them and they all seem healthy and 'normal'.
I am thinking of giving them food with calcium in it and see if that takes care of the problem.
What do you guys think? The only other thing I can think of is figuring out who is laying the soft shells and culling them. That seems extreme...or does it????
Thanks.

Is it just soft, or are there wrinkles? It could mean something else is going on. Perhaps an infection, or things like egg-drop syndrome.

I'd check out this page as it has a lot of pictures & trouble-shooting.

If it were me, I would find out who it is anyways.