Flo-bear -is that usual to be laying in the open like that-mine get frantic if they can't get to the nest box and have been known to form an orderly queue.
No, it's not, hence me thinking they'd gone off lay. Aggie has a tendency to go feral occasionally but not the others. It's quite a secluded spot in the ivy by the fence and not far from the run.
Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to chickens. I had 4 POL Black Rocks delivered last Wednesday and I'm learning by the day but there is quite a lot I don't know. Can you overfeed them, they seem to eat heck of a lot and they poo like theres no tomorrow! Do I need to clean them everyday or are they happy as 'pig in muck' if you know what I mean!!?? They even poo in there food and water, a friend said to just leave it but I'm not sure. Also how many weeks pass before I get my first egg? Any help greatly received!
I thought my girls had gone off lay until I found a pile of eggs in the pile shreddings!! My orpy cross had gone broody and dont think the others were brave enough to go in there while she was there!!
Hi Loz. I just give my girls a big bowl of layers pellets and they just help themselves so I think they just take what they need. Maybe they are eating alot because they are in a new home? They should settle down. Yes they do poo alot!! Great for the compost!! If they poo in the nest boxes its a good idea to pick the poo out each day to keep the eggs clean and clean the house once a week or so. If they are pooing in the water - I personally would clean it and give them fresh water. Have they got a bowl or one of those plastic water things? I'm sure once they've settled down they will start laying you some delicious eggs.
I have 18 hens and 2 cockerels. A few of my hens are buff orpington x warren.............
They are large gals, lay huge eggs, bigger than my duck eggs, and are very fluffy. I call them wuffs. I also have number of warrens and a couple of retired black rocks, they are in with the old buff cockerel (he's 8). Oh and 1 black aracana hen.
The large troop free roam over the colder months. I feed them pellets or mash made into a porridge with kitchen scraps first thing in the morning. They have a scattering of corn late afternoon. I no longer have a problem with red mite as I powder the houses with diatom every week when i clean them out. I collect up the bedding in the winter and mulch my veg beds with it. Inthe summer it goes on the compost heap to help rot down all the grass clippings etc. I also collect the worst parts of the bedding and make a fertilser tea from it.
I get on average 10 eggs a day sometimes maybe 14. I usually get around 6 duck eggs a day too. My ducks have free raom of the plot and use the lake most of the day. But they hate it when it rains or is extremely windy, then they shelter in the garden on the small pond. Or sit under a couple of large vehicles.
Thanks for your response Christyrose, I have a plastic dome self feeder and water that came as a package when I bought the house, the water is fine, apart from the poo getting in it but the feeder lid keeps coming off so they just stick there heads in it
would I be better with a bowl. Do you give them just pellets or mix it with something. I have been giving them kitchen scraps and things like pasta and bread, not a lot but they do have it, I top the feeder daily with a mix of pellets and a seedy mixture I had as part of the starter package, could this be a reason for excessive pooing??
In the beginning just feed them layer pellets only and perhaps a bit of corn late in the day if you want them to lay eggs-they will be quite happy on that.Do not feed them scraps, pasta, or anything extra at this stage
Don't use a bowl they will either knock it over or mess in it,
Going to sound really dull now.....well I am really when it comes to chickens and gardening but, I am trying I,m not too sure how old my girlies are. I think that 16 weeks was mentioned when I ordered them but can't be sure! ...and when you say corn, is that dried or tinned???? please don't laugh
That sounds about right they are not usually sold before then -how long have you had them?
They tend to go off laying as the hours of daylight decrease so you are entering the optimum time.
It is dried corn- not sweet corn -the seed mixture you mentioned probably contains that-you can buy big bags of it like the layer pellets-it warms them up for the night,that is why I say late in the day.
There are never dull questions-ask as many things as you want
Posts
Flo-bear -is that usual to be laying in the open like that-mine get frantic if they can't get to the nest box and have been known to form an orderly queue.
No, it's not, hence me thinking they'd gone off lay. Aggie has a tendency to go feral occasionally but not the others. It's quite a secluded spot in the ivy by the fence and not far from the run.
Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to chickens. I had 4 POL Black Rocks delivered last Wednesday and I'm learning by the day but there is quite a lot I don't know. Can you overfeed them, they seem to eat heck of a lot and they poo like theres no tomorrow! Do I need to clean them everyday or are they happy as 'pig in muck' if you know what I mean!!?? They even poo in there food and water, a friend said to just leave it but I'm not sure. Also how many weeks pass before I get my first egg? Any help greatly received!
I thought my girls had gone off lay until I found a pile of eggs in the pile shreddings!! My orpy cross had gone broody and dont think the others were brave enough to go in there while she was there!!
Hi Loz. I just give my girls a big bowl of layers pellets and they just help themselves so I think they just take what they need. Maybe they are eating alot because they are in a new home? They should settle down. Yes they do poo alot!!
Great for the compost!! If they poo in the nest boxes its a good idea to pick the poo out each day to keep the eggs clean and clean the house once a week or so. If they are pooing in the water - I personally would clean it and give them fresh water. Have they got a bowl or one of those plastic water things? I'm sure once they've settled down they will start laying you some delicious eggs.
I have 18 hens and 2 cockerels. A few of my hens are buff orpington x warren.............
They are large gals, lay huge eggs, bigger than my duck eggs, and are very fluffy. I call them wuffs. I also have number of warrens and a couple of retired black rocks, they are in with the old buff cockerel (he's 8). Oh and 1 black aracana hen.
The large troop free roam over the colder months. I feed them pellets or mash made into a porridge with kitchen scraps first thing in the morning. They have a scattering of corn late afternoon. I no longer have a problem with red mite as I powder the houses with diatom every week when i clean them out. I collect up the bedding in the winter and mulch my veg beds with it. Inthe summer it goes on the compost heap to help rot down all the grass clippings etc. I also collect the worst parts of the bedding and make a fertilser tea from it.
I get on average 10 eggs a day sometimes maybe 14. I usually get around 6 duck eggs a day too. My ducks have free raom of the plot and use the lake most of the day. But they hate it when it rains or is extremely windy, then they shelter in the garden on the small pond. Or sit under a couple of large vehicles.
Thanks for your response Christyrose, I have a plastic dome self feeder and water that came as a package when I bought the house, the water is fine, apart from the poo getting in it but the feeder lid keeps coming off so they just stick there heads in it
would I be better with a bowl. Do you give them just pellets or mix it with something. I have been giving them kitchen scraps and things like pasta and bread, not a lot but they do have it, I top the feeder daily with a mix of pellets and a seedy mixture I had as part of the starter package, could this be a reason for excessive pooing??
Loz
In the beginning just feed them layer pellets only and perhaps a bit of corn late in the day if you want them to lay eggs-they will be quite happy on that.Do not feed them scraps, pasta, or anything extra at this stage
Don't use a bowl they will either knock it over or mess in it,
They will start laying at around 18/20 weeks old
Sotongeoff
Going to sound really dull now.....well I am really when it comes to chickens and gardening but, I am trying
I,m not too sure how old my girlies are. I think that 16 weeks was mentioned when I ordered them but can't be sure! ...and when you say corn, is that dried or tinned???? please don't laugh
That sounds about right they are not usually sold before then -how long have you had them?
They tend to go off laying as the hours of daylight decrease so you are entering the optimum time.
It is dried corn- not sweet corn -the seed mixture you mentioned probably contains that-you can buy big bags of it like the layer pellets-it warms them up for the night,that is why I say late in the day.
There are never dull questions-ask as many things as you want
Loz
This is the corn-you can get it in lots of places -does not have to be this make
http://www.smallholderfeed.co.uk/Products/Poultry/Mixed-Corn.aspx