Best chicken feed

[HillsideDesolate]

You need about 8"-12" of roost bar per bird otherwise some will roost on the floor with all the bird crap.

And sillies will roots on the floor anyway cause they are retarded

 

[HillsideDesolate]

that house needs some ventilation in my opinion.

Agreed take a drill to it underneath the roof peak.

Also to answer OPs question any commercial layer with 16%+ protein will be fine. I also supplement all my kitchen scraps and a little scratch. If you can find local feed go for it. I recommend reading pastures poultry profits by Joel Salatin.

 

[Bigdawg90]

Yeah. I might put in a couple vent holes. Those are 14.5x24” windows and there’s 5 of them. I might put another on the front door side but when I mocked it up it didn’t look right so I’d rather do the roof vents. Just threw some meal worms in and checked their poop again. So far all the poop I’ve seen looks healthy along with their feather.

The guy I bought em from loved our kiddos chasing em down. Lol. So he threw in the Rhode Island reds for free since he was trying to steer away from that breed anyways.

I think I got about 4 roosters out of the bunch but my son really really wanted them. If they’re a problem I’ll get my lesson on slaughtering and plucking. Lol

I started with the tractor supply dumor 16% layer feed. I read a bunch about Purinas problems last year and had some friends try to steer me into a local feed. Until I get my garden up and running I’ll be buying feed so hopefully I can find some local stuff that’s good to go.

My wife works for an agricultural company that does hydroponic culinary herbs. She swears the organic anything is much better for you. I’m not totally convinced either but then again she roofed that coop there and did an awesome job so I’m not gonna complain about her too much. Lol

 

[HillsideDesolate]

Yeah. I might put in a couple vent holes. Those are 14.5x24” windows and there’s 5 of them. I might put another on the front door side but when I mocked it up it didn’t look right so I’d rather do the roof vents. Just threw some meal worms in and checked their poop again. So far all the poop I’ve seen looks healthy along with their feather.

The guy I bought em from loved our kiddos chasing em down. Lol. So he threw in the Rhode Island reds for free since he was trying to steer away from that breed anyways.

I think I got about 4 roosters out of the bunch but my son really really wanted them. If they’re a problem I’ll get my lesson on slaughtering and plucking. Lol

I started with the tractor supply dumor 16% layer feed. I read a bunch about Purinas problems last year and had some friends try to steer me into a local feed. Until I get my garden up and running I’ll be buying feed so hopefully I can find some local stuff that’s good to go.

My wife works for an agricultural company that does hydroponic culinary herbs. She swears the organic anything is much better for you. I’m not totally convinced either but then again she roofed that coop there and did an awesome job so I’m not gonna complain about her too much. Lol

Tractor supply has had problems as well, and th they are my least favorite feed store. A local place should have local feed. I always ran organic feed for my meat birds, I have used both on afters and honestly got better results with conventional, the organic gave me weak shells and I had to supplement oystershell. This was in the pnw tho so ymmv, I haven't raised chickens in OK as I am bound by local ordinances. I would talk to your local feed store or coop, they likely contract to a local mill for a generic store brand.

 

[HillsideDesolate]

Tractor supply has had problems as well, and th they are my least favorite feed store. A local place should have local feed. I always ran organic feed for my meat birds, I have used both on afters and honestly got better results with conventional, the organic gave me weak shells and I had to supplement oystershell. This was in the pnw tho so ymmv, I haven't raised chickens in OK as I am bound by local ordinances. I would talk to your local feed store or coop, they likely contract to a local mill for a generic store brand.

To add for your level of confinement I would go with a layer crumble rather than pellets, the smaller feed helps alleviate boredom which also minimises agression, feather plucking and other unwanted behaviors.

 

[cowadle]

if it were my coop i would remove the windows and then cut everything out between the studs til i got about 3 feet from the roof down and about 2/3 the length of the coop and cover that with 1/4 inch square galvanized wire screen. and put that to the south.

 

[SoonerP226]

My brother has been using the layer feed at Atwoods’ with good effects. I’m not complaining about the eggs I’m getting out of the deal, anyway.

 

[cowadle]

saw on tv this morning that the usda has approved for human consumption chicken meat made artificially from dna.

 

[THAT Gurl]

And sillies will roots on the floor anyway cause they are retarded

Yep. I have a flock -- we will call them the "Big Girls". I also have 3 hens who are about 6 months old now -- we will call them the "Little Girls".

I have NEVER had a problem integrating new hens to an established flock. Until this year. I do not have any idea what the problem is but the Big Girls absolutely refuse to let the Little Girls hang with them. The Big Girls run the Little Girls off the feeder, off the waterer, off any leftovers I toss out. Even off the dust bath and the hen house.

I do NOT understand what is going on with them. I've just found a work around and the Little Girls get to hang out in the yard during the day while the Big Girls have to stay in the pen. About 6 pm I'll go out and let the Big Girls out into the yard so they can graze and hunt for bugs before it's time to go in for the night. And open the shed door so the Little Girls can go in and get comfy for the night.

But here's the weirdest thing about the whole deal ...

The Little Girls have started laying. And they go in the henhouse to do it! The Big Girls won't let them roost in the hen house but they will let them lay their eggs in the same nest box that everyone else uses. I dunno, guys ... Color me VERY confused.

 

[cowadle]

Yep. I have a flock -- we will call them the "Big Girls". I also have 3 hens who are about 6 months old now -- we will call them the "Little Girls".

I have NEVER had a problem integrating new hens to an established flock. Until this year. I do not have any idea what the problem is but the Big Girls absolutely refuse to let the Little Girls hang with them. The Big Girls run the Little Girls off the feeder, off the waterer, off any leftovers I toss out. Even off the dust bath and the hen house.

I do NOT understand what is going on with them. I've just found a work around and the Little Girls get to hang out in the yard during the day while the Big Girls have to stay in the pen. About 6 pm I'll go out and let the Big Girls out into the yard so they can graze and hunt for bugs before it's time to go in for the night. And open the shed door so the Little Girls can go in and get comfy for the night.

But here's the weirdest thing about the whole deal ...

The Little Girls have started laying. And they go in the henhouse to do it! The Big Girls won't let them roost in the hen house but they will let them lay their eggs in the same nest box that everyone else uses. I dunno, guys ... Color me VERY confused.

shut them in the hen house together for a few days and nights. be careful of the heat though. put two feeders in separate ends of the coop so that the old bitty can only guard one while the other is open.