Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[RRRisnewtochickens]

Hi everyone, another newbie question!

 

I've been "chicken window shopping" today! I visited 3 feed merchants and got their prices for everything from chick crumb to oyster shell, ACV to red mite powder, sawdust to feeders, I was actually quite surprised by the price difference in some of the things but thats a whole other story.

 

Basically I wanted to know which size of which thing I should get....

 

Chick crumb - would 25kg get eaten by 4 chicks (2 chickens, 2 bantams) before they go onto growers pellets?

What age do they go on grower pellets?

Would 25kgs grower pellet get eaten by the time they go onto layer pellets?

What age do they go onto layer pellets?

When do they start on grit/oyster shell? Is there a preference over either? I can get a mixed bag of both, is that better?

When can they start to eat mixed corn and other such treats?

 

Sorry, I know thats a lot of questions, but I really do appreciate all your help.

 

Thanks again, Ria

[C&T]

I think this does all really depend on how old your chooks will be when you get them, and (I believe??) what breeds. We got ours at point of lay, so never needed growers pellets, just Layers. Would suggest this is something to ask the breeder when you get your chooks - but other more knowledgable people may be able to help you more.

 

Grit/Oyster shell - we have a mixed bag, and they have had access it since they arrived - i.e. pol. They eat both, and should the shell run out, one does start to suffer from softees, so I need to ensure ours have both.

 

Mixed corn/treats - before they start laying, they won't eat much, so keep treats down. When they start laying, still ensure that their pellets are the main part of their diet. A small handful of corn between a few chooks to get them back in the run is fine for the day.

 

Good luck!

[Roobaloo]

I bought my chooks at about 15-16 weeks old. They were on Growers mash (I prefer mash to pellets...) already and I bought a 20kg bag. I used about a quarter, maybe a third, of the bag by the time their combs started to develop and turn red...and the first soft shelled egg was laid so switched them onto Layers mash.

 

Grit is essential, regardless of whether they're laying or not, as it helps them digest food. I've never raised chicks but would assume that once they're on growers feed, grit would become essential. I would scatter some around their run and let then decide if they need it. Oyster shell is to boost their calcium intake...many people don't feed this as a good quality Layers mash (or pellet) should provide enough calcium. I used mixed grit with shell, just to be sure.

 

Mine have only recently shown an interest in treats...a little corn in the afternoon is fine. I hang broccoli and other greens up as we have no lawn or plants for them when they free-range!

[chick wiggle]

Hi everyone, another newbie question!

 

 

 

Basically I wanted to know which size of which thing I should get....

 

Chick crumb - would 25kg get eaten by 4 chicks (2 chickens, 2 bantams) before they go onto growers pellets?

As mentioned it depends how old they are when you get them, i reckon 4 chicks would eat 2-3 kg of chick crumb a week

 

What age do they go on grower pellets?

About 5 weeks old they can be weened onto grower pellets, just start putting a handful of pellets into their crumb.

 

Would 25kgs grower pellet get eaten by the time they go onto layer pellets?

probably yes.

 

What age do they go onto layer pellets?

It depends on their breed, larger breeds may need to be on for longer as they have a lot more growing to do, as a rough guide about 18 weeks or when their combs and wattles faces are red

 

When do they start on grit/oyster shell? Is there a preference over either? I can get a mixed bag of both, is that better?

When they move onto pellets they will need grit, you can chick grit

 

When can they start to eat mixed corn and other such treats?

Im quite mean with treats as i think they need their pellets to grow, so maybe a small handful of corn to get them into the run on a night, if they are not freeranging then some greens too but if they are freeranging they will eat the grass

 

 

Hope that helps, its a very exciting time, getting new chucks. Let us know what you get and how you get on.

[Redwing]

'Mixed' grit is often grit and shell in one bag but shell should not be given to chooks until they go on to layers pellets, as someone else has said chick grit and also growers grit is available, most places do small bags of a kilo or so - you wont need a lot, if you cant get chick grit dont worry but dont feed many treats, growers grit from 7 weeks or so - they will need this

 

25kg chick crumb they probably wont get through this, some suppliers do smaller bags though

25kg of growers they will probably eat yes

Layers from 18 weeks for standard birds, later for Orpingtons, Brahmas and other heavy very large breeds, they can stay on growers till 25 weeks plus

[RRRisnewtochickens]

Thanks everyone

 

I have just been down to the feed merchants and managed to spend over £100 with ease, whoopsie! I got a 4kg bag of chick crumb and will just get what is you've all recommended as and when I need it and the chicks go up a food stage.

 

We're off to see some bantams tonight and I cant wait! Hopefully we'll be owned by some chooks by the weekend.

[chickyhazel]

Post some pics of them for us!

[chick wiggle]

Any new little bantams yet? Can we have our pictures soon please?

[RRRisnewtochickens]

I'm collecting some tomorrow!

 

I bet I dont sleep a wink tonight, I'm so pathetically excited! And I'm a grown woman of (almost) three children, tut tut!