Courtneydelphia
Songster
- Apr 28, 2019
- 82
- 133
- 111
So I currently feed my mixed flock of full grown layers, pullets, and ducks (hatched April 1) a mixture of Chick Starter Grower and Layer crumbles. The pullets are 20 weeks. I sprinkle in a little nutritional yeast - started when the ducks were babies and read that it’s beneficial to everyone, so I just kept doing it. Also have oyster shells on the side and regularly feed scratch grains and mealworms as treats. The entire flock is free range in our very huge yard.
I was recently talking to another chicken mom and she mentioned that she gives her chooks “immune boost” supplement and it got me wondering if I need to be supplementing my mixed flock with anything? It does get VERY hot here (90’s daily) and I read somewhere that some folks give additional electrolytes during the hot season. I also saw that some provide probiotics... I just want to be sure that I’m giving them everything they need.
We also returned recently from a 3 week vacation and had the neighbor take care of the birds. When we came back, all three of our older layers had bumblefoot. I know the neighbor kept them more confined than I do out of convenience and safety since I wasn’t home to watch them constantly. Every time we got a weather advisory for wind/hail (that is literally every other day here) she would lock them all in the coop
. We have a 12x12 coop and a 36x24 ft run attached. I usually only use the run when I’m gone for the day or if weather gets bad. ANYWAY, I started thinking that maybe the girls got bumblefoot from some nutritional deficit..? Or it could be that they were just more confined than normal.
Sorry, that was long with a lot of questions. Any info/wisdom is appreciated!
I was recently talking to another chicken mom and she mentioned that she gives her chooks “immune boost” supplement and it got me wondering if I need to be supplementing my mixed flock with anything? It does get VERY hot here (90’s daily) and I read somewhere that some folks give additional electrolytes during the hot season. I also saw that some provide probiotics... I just want to be sure that I’m giving them everything they need.
We also returned recently from a 3 week vacation and had the neighbor take care of the birds. When we came back, all three of our older layers had bumblefoot. I know the neighbor kept them more confined than I do out of convenience and safety since I wasn’t home to watch them constantly. Every time we got a weather advisory for wind/hail (that is literally every other day here) she would lock them all in the coop
. We have a 12x12 coop and a 36x24 ft run attached. I usually only use the run when I’m gone for the day or if weather gets bad. ANYWAY, I started thinking that maybe the girls got bumblefoot from some nutritional deficit..? Or it could be that they were just more confined than normal.Sorry, that was long with a lot of questions. Any info/wisdom is appreciated!
