New to Chickens (no experience)

[DobieLover]

This is all great information on feed, i am fairly new to raising chickens, i give mine meal worms and scratch as treats, but they are free ranged, so i would appreciate any information on free range chickens feed, i also give mine protein pellets, but they only eat it when first coming out of coop in am, then they fly out and seem to prefer free ranging

Just make sure the feed they eat before leaving for the day is a complete feed designed for any sex of chicken (no extra calcium) and it offers at least 18% protein. Keep the OS out and check it regularly as you don't want it to get down to just powder.

I have a flock of 24 and I use mixed bird seed for scratch. I throw out 3 small handfuls of seed to get them out of my way when I clean the poop boards in the morning. They come back into the coop for a small handful of raisins that I doll out by hand. Each bird gets 2-3 raisins. That is the extent of their treats.

I feed a can of tuna 3x a week during the molt. It is mixed into their bowl of fermented 22% broiler mash. That is always gone when I lock up at night and there is a little bit of 18% crumble left in their troughs. That holds them over in the morning on the rare occasion they are up before I am out to fill the feeders and release them from their run into their 1/3 acre pen to roam for the day.

 

[VictoriaTexas]

I also have the French black copper marans 6 chicks coming with the 8 hens Thanksgiving weekend From what I understand them being just shy 3 mo old I will keep the chicks separated before I introduce at 6 mo & that the chicks with require starter feed until they begin to lay.

Back of shop total area is 10'× 16'
(dont want a coop that close to me & my mantoys so come Spring they are getting a stand-alone coop center garden 5' from the back fence

I have a small 25'×50'×8' pond, a good well, & have plans to dig another pond in Spring '25 same size.

(hybred blue catfish)

* Can I feed chickens fish, crayfish, or freshwater shrimp ?

 

[The Coop Crew]

Welcome to the community!!!!

 

[VictoriaTexas]

Just make sure the feed they eat before leaving for the day is a complete feed designed for any sex of chicken (no extra calcium) and it offers at least 18% protein. Keep the OS out and check it regularly as you don't want it to get down to just powder.

I have a flock of 24 and I use mixed bird seed for scratch. I throw out 3 small handfuls of seed to get them out of my way when I clean the poop boards in the morning. They come back into the coop for a small handful of raisins that I doll out by hand. Each bird gets 2-3 raisins. That is the extent of their treats.

I feed a can of tuna 3x a week during the molt. It is mixed into their bowl of fermented 22% broiler mash. That is always gone when I lock up at night and there is a little bit of 18% crumble left in their troughs. That holds them over in the morning on the rare occasion they are up before I am out to fill the feeders and release them from their run into their 1/3 acre pen to roam for the day.

That is good to know

 

[VictoriaTexas]

Good morning, and welcome to BYC. I'm not awake enough to give advice just yet. I will say, that to protect your flock from predators, you'll need to make sure there are no openings bigger than a quarter (to keep out smaller predators) and that your fencing is sturdy enough to keep out large predators.

I have limited funds for run fencing until Jan '25. How worried should I be with just chainlink until then ?

There most definately are stray male cats that play with my girl that keep pretty well hidden. Think they might give my tiny flock a scare ?

 

[janiedoe]

I have limited funds for run fencing until Jan '25. How worried should I be with just chainlink until then ?

I'd be worried about minks, rats, and small skunks. Lock your flock up in a secure area in the evenings. Chainlink will probably be okay during the day.

 

[VictoriaTexas]

I'd be worried about minks, rats, and small skunks. Lock your flock up in a secure area in the evenings. Chainlink will probably be okay during the day.

relief plop plop

 

[VictoriaTexas]

I'd be worried about minks, rats, and small skunks. Lock your flock up in a secure area in the evenings. Chainlink will probably be okay during the day.

Bought the property 30yrs ago, think Ive seen 1 skunk. Wouldnt know a mink if I was wearing it. Been a few rats around the pond.

Its the opossums that I think might get a chicken. I think they are Federally protected because they are notorious snake killers. Old church behind me used to have them all under it. Thats gone, but the opossums had to go up somewhere I do see them frequently

but like you say, not in the daytime

 

[janiedoe]

Bought the property 30yrs ago, think Ive seen 1 skunk. Wouldnt know a mink if I was wearing it. Been a few rats around the pond.

Its the opossums that I think might get a chicken. I think they are Federally protected because they are notorious snake killers. Old church behind me used to have them all under it. Thats gone, but the opossums had to go up somewhere I do see them frequently

Possums are a menace to chickens. We have them all over the place. I've never seen a mink but I know they are in our area. I occasionally see a skunk but I know there are a lot of them around. Raccoons are the worst predator I've dealt with. I've heard that they will try to pull a chicken through the chainlink fence and will kill it doing so.

 

[janiedoe]

Bought the property 30yrs ago, think Ive seen 1 skunk. Wouldnt know a mink if I was wearing it. Been a few rats around the pond.

Its the opossums that I think might get a chicken. I think they are Federally protected because they are notorious snake killers. Old church behind me used to have them all under it. Thats gone, but the opossums had to go up somewhere I do see them frequently

but like you say, not in the daytime

I just sent you an invite to the Texas thread.