General Health

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am a day-old chicken keeper and need all the help and advice I can get - the things I read here seem better than the books I've read.

Anyway, I was reading Lucylou's thread on sneezing chickens as one of mine has got up with the sneezes this morning. I have wood shavings on the floor of the coop which is not what they're used too, so could just be that.
I would like to make sure that I add all the natural ingredients to their diet to ward off sniffles etc, but got a bit lost trying to note down everything in the replies. Can I get some clarification?

I need to give them greens: anything green? And do I just put it in the run? What about garlic? Do I just peel a few cloves and throw them in too?

I'm feeding them a complete food which the lady in the suppliers said was good and was what she used - it is layers pellets, flakes, mixed corn and grit which I've put into a hopper for them to have when they fancy, but some books say I should just feed them morning and afternoon by hand. Any thoughts?

Is there anything else I can need to give them to safeguard their health? Gosh, this is worse than rearing kids!! I'm so consious of making sure I do the right thing - it's exciting though!

Thanks, all.

Liz

 

[snifter]

Letting them have constant access to pellets and fresh water is a must. They are grazers so pick at their food. I'd give them food by hand in the late afternoon as a treat before they go to bed. But don't only feed them twice a day.

I'd be inclined to not feed them a mixed feed as they will be more likely to pick out the corn and leave the pellets. And that does not do them good in the long term. They need the pellets. I'd buy plain pellets, it might take a few attempts to find a brand your chooks like, and then give corn by hand before they roost so they can digest it over night. It takes far longer to break down so if eaten in the morning or during the day it means they don' eat as much in the way of other food as they cannot digest it quick enough.

Re the sniffle. Probably is just the shavings. If you buy from a feed merchant for about an extra £1 per large bale you can get the dust free stuff with the dust extracted. Much easier on the chooks.

Garlic - Can add it to food a number of ways

1) Buy the garlic powder for horses (from feed merchant). Comes in a large tub and you can mix a scoopful in with their food when you top it up.

2) Crush a couple of garlic cloves and add it to their drinking water. Be warned, some chooks don't like it this way and won't be so keen to drink the water.

If you are giving greens I'd suggest things like broccoli and that you hang it from some string rather than leaving it on the floor as this can encourage rats. Hanging it up gives the hens something to do. They also will like cooked peas. I tend to give those by hand during the day so I can ensure they are all eaten and not left for rats.

Horse grade apple cider vinegar , 20ml to 1 litre of water, one week a month is also good for natural worming. Don't buy the stuff in supermarkets. Again, horse feed merchant.

There is a thread you might find useful

http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=844

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Snifter.
I drove out to an agricultural supplier this morning to get wellies and saw the garlic granules for horses, but didn't get any as it didn't mention chickens. I'm luck enough to have a feed merchant in the village, so i will wander down over the weekend and get some garlic powder for the little gems.

Did you see my other post earlier - I've already had a garden escapee and an egg! This is a roller coaster - I could get hooked.

Taken note of your essentials list - I should be able to get all of this in the village.

I see your point about the pellets/complete food. Do you think I should just cut my loses and get separate bags - pellets, corn and grit?

Liz

 

[Lucylou]

Its an addictive hobby isn't it :lol:

Regarding the greens, at the moment I'm buying cabbages or spring greens which I tie with string & hang in the run & its all gone by bedtime. Don't know why but mine won't touch broccoli or savoy cabbage (just like some kids :lol: ) I was getting green leaves from the veg stall on the market for nothing but a chap who keeps pigs has been beating me to it lately, must get up earlier If you have a market try this, its all the outside leaves from the caulis & cabbages that they throw away. Sadly we don't have any independant greengrocers in the town anymore but they'd also be a good supply of free green leaves.

I have been going to try making a string netting bag type thing to put the greens in (keep them off the ground) but haven't got round to it yet. I have heard that the metal veg baskets that hang up work but not sure about this, anyone tried it?

 

[Anonymous]

hi
when I first started with chooks I got the mixed food with layers pellets mixed corn grit and so on all mixed as I thought it would be an easy way to give them everything they need. the chickens do not see it that way and pick the bits they like so now I buy layers pellets and corn seperate. they have there pellets topped up each morning so they have more than enough to last all day.Always have grit and water and once a month I add ACV to the water. In the afternoon (or evening in summer) they get a couple of handfulls of corn as a treat. this also helps to bond with them by hand feeding. I also agree about hanging the veg as it keeps it off the ground and as it swings about it makes the birds work for there food and stops them getting bored.