Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Mutrix Farmers]

Hi and welcome Emily Jane. You are certainly doing your homework before getting some birds - you have the makings of a fab chicken-mum. The advice on the forum is all really good and completely unbiased. And some of the members should really write a book on chicken-keeping as they are so knowledgable.

 

Hope you get some birds soon.

[emily-Jane]

cheers!

 

appreciated. One question, with the apple cider vinegar, do you add it to their new clean water every day as a preventative measure? or is it once in a while?

 

with the poultry spice, how often would you reccommend using it?

 

thanks.

 

yeah, yer right Mutrix farmers! Apparently we're getting 3 chickens now instead of 2 so we have been talking about what to call the third one!.. My boyfriend suggested calling it a name beginning with "T" as there is Elsie which begins with "E" the same as my name and he's called Jonathan so that's Jenny sorted. The little boy is called Thomas so we're gonna have one with the same letter! Teresa was banded about as was Tabitha (which I thought was a bit posh!) and Tom suggested Toffee

[Egluntyne]

Toffee sounds good!

 

I add the ACV every time I change the water.

 

Poultry Spice...I just add it if I think they need a boost.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Toffee's a good name .

 

I keep some ACV in an old sports drink bottle beside the sink. It's really easy to just add a squirt when I'm filling the glug .

[emily-Jane]

*laughs*

 

It could work!..

 

I think I'm pretty much sorted, its shame I have to wait a while due to money, the fence is completely fooked so that needs fixing first!

 

So all I need to do is..

 

* get an eglu (possibly a reconditioned one) with the run, feeders and all the stuff thats part and parcel of the delivery.

 

* food - layer mash/pellets, treats every now in then in the shape of mixed corn, meal worms, scarps such as vegetable peelings (but NOT raw pototo as it's poisnious), soggy bread, apple cores, cabbage leaves etc etc. feed to them in the afternoon

 

*clean water every day with refined apple cider vinegar added

* auboise or hemcore for the run...How often do you clear up all the stuff and put a new layer down? - I guess once every week-2 weeks?

 

*DE added to food and shake on feathers to prevent lice.

 

*Shredded newspaper in coop

*bowl for dust bath in run - add top soil, possibly play sand, garden dirt

 

* red mite powder, garlic powder added to food to stop poo smelling bad!

 

*Grit and oyster shells (are these for the runs?! do they peck and eat at it?) I know the oyster shells helps with the eggs in some way or another!

 

Make sure they are vannicated and wormed too. Either by vet or provider. Might have to clip their wings.

 

And finally get 3 ex batts from BHWT!

 

oOoOo! yay..easy

 

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