| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Apr 19 2010 : 6:16:32 PM
I was given chickens today. Three pretty hens that are laying already. I am thrilled! I am terrified! I am not prepared! I thought I was, but now I feel lost. They gave us a pen to keep them in till ours is ready, 2 watering bottles, a feeder, fencing, nesting boxes, and food. I know I have everything I need, or at least I think I do, but I feel unprepared on what to expect, what to do. Am I supposed to handle them, like hold them and stuff. Or do I just need to be around them to get them used to me? I know I'm supposed to check for eggs each day, but how often? Is twice a day okay, or is it every so many hours? I don't have any books on chickens yet, only on coop building! Am I just panicking for nothing? I need advice and lots of it!
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sherrye |
Posted - May 05 2010 : 11:05:01 AM
oh so glad your hens have settled down. i am wondering what kind your flighty girl is? i have one too. the whole pen is wrapped but she goes in and out at will. i just love to watch happy chickens scratch around for goodies. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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| natesgirl |
Posted - May 05 2010 : 10:05:36 AM
My girls are finally happy! I am getting 2-3 eggs most days and they run to meet me at the door of the pen when they see me coming! I can even pet 2 of them all the time. The third one is very flighty and hates to be touched. When we need to put them up for the night all we have to do is pick up Lisa and Bru and put them in the coop. Precious will come hollerin after us. She can't stand to be alone but she can't stand to be held, strange bird. At least we finally have them happy and layin.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 08:14:35 AM
I have moved my three girls to a larger pen that allows them access to the ground. They were laying two or three eggs a day for our friends, we aren't even getting one egg a day. What am I doing wrong? I kept the same feed they had. I expected them to be upset about moving, but should it take this long for them to settle in?
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| nancypo |
Posted - Apr 22 2010 : 9:16:19 PM
My "chicken page"- http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=52301
Be the change... |
| nancypo |
Posted - Apr 22 2010 : 9:15:07 PM
My favorite chicken site, for a huge amount of expertise- http://www.backyardchickens.com/ too
I handle my girls (who are almost ready to go outside) several time a day. I want to be able to handle them any time with no problems. mine are just on scratch, growing well and healthy. I NEVER use tap water, use undercounter filtered, with all the crud in city water. And we will be using a portable run and a stationary coop/run.
Be the change... |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Apr 21 2010 : 8:02:22 PM
I would also add here that you should be ultra aware of predators. If the pen is made of chicken wire, it isn't safe against a hungry predator :0( I personally use a wire (NOT welded wire) which is about 2" x 4" for the hole size, but I also use 1/4" hardware cloth (read: wire) which is 4' tall...burying about a foot of it.
Anyway, if your chickens have natural floor (earth/dirt), you won't have to worry about grit, they will pick up enough sand and pebbles, and if you give them too much, it can actually cause an impaction. I would recommend a layer pellet in the 18-20% protein range. I use Flock Raiser by Purina, and all the girls have nice full feathering and lay good strong shelled eggs. I also every now and then, give them a handful of plain black oil sunflower seeds, too. Of course, they love to eat grass and bugs, too!
I love backyardchickens.com, too. Lots of good 'stickies' there on their forum for first time owners. :0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Apr 21 2010 : 7:54:11 PM
Well, my three girls have been here for two days and we have gotten one egg. I don't know if that's good or bad. They seem to be eating well and they are drinking a lot. I guess we'll see how things go.
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| Annab |
Posted - Apr 21 2010 : 03:43:07 AM
Access to fresh water will be vital for good egg production.
If your feed store stocks a chicken layer pellet, use these as it really reduces feed waste. Layer grains should have about 16% proteine for good egg production. And of course, crushed oyster shell for calcium and a little grit to aid in food griding.
I usually check for eggs twice a day. There have been a few late layers who are still workin' on it when I get home at 4:30, but it's not the norm
Chickens like to perch to roost so something akin to a work sawhorse is good. They shouldn't sleep in the nest box if there is adequate perching space.
If you are housing your chickens on grass this will work. If the coop is on dirt or concrete pine shavings are good and absorbant and warm in the winter. We clean our coop just twice a year. When we are home we allow our chickens to free range.
If you have a garden you might want to somehow protect young tender plants and especially tomatoes! Chickens LOVE tomatoes and will even eat out holes in the green ones.
And yes to leaving them up for a few days. This way they will know where it's safe and will put themselves to bed too. For new chickens I usually give 4 days.
Some chickens are naturally docile and don't mind being picked up, so if any of your gals don't mind it that's fine. It's just fun and cute and kind of builds a bond.
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Apr 20 2010 : 09:40:39 AM
Angela, chickens can pretty much take care of themselves. But the first week or so they need to be kept in a pen so they won't run off. They need to get used to their new home. Gradually you can start letting them out. As long as you only feed them inside the coop that way they will come back in for feed. Just have fun with them and don't worry about making them pets. Hens are funny about too much attention.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Apr 20 2010 : 08:03:20 AM
Fun! You may want to purchase some scratch grains to give them once a day. they love that. I collect eggs when I get home from work and then when I put the crew up for the night (I free range) I do a quick recheck but rarely find any that late.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.eggsandherbs.com
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| sherrye |
Posted - Apr 19 2010 : 6:31:26 PM
how fun for you. well the good thing is they do not need to be held unless you want to. thats cool you have everything you need i think. except they do like grit for the muscle called a gizzard. it grinds grain and stuff like a stomach. you can get a shovel full of rocks the dusty smaller and some bug for them. put in pen. they know what size to eat. your food needs to be 16 percent at least for them to have enough food to make a egg. they may slow a bit since they moved. a chicken will lay 2 eggs every 3 days on average. some more some less. wonder what kind you have. what do they look like? can you post pics? the nest box needs to be 18 to 24 inches off the ground. they like a private dark box to lay their eggs.i love my chickens. i check more often in the heat of summer for eggs. and in the deep winter. but usually i get them twice a day when i go to milk and do chores.you need to wash your eggs in water that is about 10 degrees warmer than the egg. store point end down in paper egg cartons. just how i have learned to handle my girls. we sell about 4 to 5 dozen a day. if you feed them too much kitchen produce they can get to where they are not eating enough protein and will slow in laying.thoughts from our farm sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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