Chickens and all things fowl..........

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

No, I don't use sand but I have friends who do. I tried it but I found it made cleaning the coop harder. The poop tended to mix with the sand and make a concrete-like substance that was very difficult to get off the floor. Something I did to make cleaning the coop a bit easier was to install over the 1/2 inch plywood floor sheet vinyl flooring. It's worked out really well. After I sweep the shavings up all I have to do is hose the flooring and let it dry before putting new shavings down.

I give them the lion's share of their feed in the morning, some scratch later on and treats (fresh fruit & veggies, meal worms) whenever I can. They are "ranging" throughout the day so they have that too. In the early evening once they're all in the coop for the night I give them a little more feed as it keeps them busy while I get them settled in for the night - fresh water, check for eggs, make sure everything is secure.

The most important thing I find is to be consistent with whatever I do. Chickens can be very skittish if they don't have a routine.

Speaking of lights, if you don't want anything too elaborate you can just hang a shop light from a drop cord, you know, the kind of light that has a kinda cage around the bulb with a hook on the end. That way you can move it around if you like.

[hsehntr98]

Joyce, with the size of your flock, how much do you feed them? With my 4 hens & 2 roosters I feed about 1 1/4 c cracked corn & 1 cup of 5 grain scratch in the morning with fresh water in a heated bowl and at night I feed 1 1/2 c cracked corn & 2 c of hen layer feed with 16% crumbles (its kind of a fine granular feed) and fresh water. I have been doing this since I got them, so they are getting the same routine. What kind of fruit and veggies do you feed them. I also have those mealworm cakes that fit in a little cage hanging on the fence so they have something else to snack on and entertain themselves.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

Are you putting their scratch in with their regular feed?

[hsehntr98]

I sprinkle the cracked corn on the ground behind the coop and then sprinkle the scratch out next so they do end up getting mixed together.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

I've always kept their feed as an actual meal and scattered the scratch as an afternoon snack/treat. When I feed them in the morning I put the feed in a long, low trough; but the scratch I just kinda toss in the yard so they can hunt 'n' peck for it. I also have a bunch of bird suet cages that I put cut up fruit & veggies in and hang up for them, they especially like that. You had asked if I feed them more in the winter and yes, I do. I'd say about 10-15% more. I'm so used to just eyeballing it that I can only estimate how much each of the girls get each day, but I guess it's about 6 ounces. I do some weird things that others might not approve of, like give them cooked oatmeal with some yogurt added. They love it. I have a friend who makes scrambled eggs for her girls but that's just a bit cannibalistic to me.

[hsehntr98]

What king of fruit &veggies do you give them? I will adjust their feed tomorrow and use the scratch as an afternoon snack. They will get their scratch when the pigs get their apples.

[W.Lynn]

Joyce, I've read of people peppering some oatmeal up pretty good to introduce it to the birds, partly because the bits of pepper looks like it might have bugs, and partly because many bugs have a strong taste. I've not had any of my own, so I wondered if it still gets done by anyone?

If no one knows, I'll make sure to try it if I get the chance, but if anyone does feed it that way, I'd love to know if the birds like it.

[redman2006]

Ok, I will bite. Why oatmeal?

Scratch grains are cheap and have a variety. Birds like them. Oatmeal, unless it gets wormy, is kind of expensive to feed. Oats in general are.

BTW, I use oatmeal and scratch grains and an old potato to raise large meal worms for exotics and birds. Cheap and easy. My wife and mother both like to see the birds in the winter, so putting those out draws a lot of blue birds and cardinals among others. Come summer, the mess gets dumped in with the chickens, and they eat every bit of it. They really do enjoy those meal worms.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

Just about any fruits or veggies you have on hand except things like apricot or peach pits or avocados and potato peelings. They are all poisonous. Also, I've been told not to give them any citrus fruits. I'll take a melon (any kind) and cut it in half, then take a slice off the bottom so it will sit level. Just put that on the ground and watch 'em go at it. In the suet cages I will put stalks of broccoli, lettuce, cabbage leaves or apples cut in half (core them first as the seeds are poisonous).
Redman, I cook them up a batch of oatmeal every so often just because they like it so much, I add the yugurt to it for the extra calcium and because they like that too. I'll take a bowl of it out there and sit with them and we just eat our oatmeal together. Weird, I know, but that's the kind of Magilla I am.

[hsehntr98]

Joyce will the chickens eat pumpkin? I got some from a business after Halloween thinking my pigs would eat it, but they didn't. So I took what I had cleaned and cut up and put in the freezer. If I thaw some out do you think they will eat it?

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

I have given mine fresh veggies only. I really don't know how they will like frozen and thawed. It might be too mushy or they may really like it because they do like cooked veggies - oops I just realized I contradicted myself. Yes, I have fed my girls leftover cooked veggies! OK, now that I've finished that conversation with myself. Go for it. I am amazed that your pigs won't eat it. They will usually eat ANYTHING.

[Boston_Joe]

We give ours thawed out frozen corn on the cob from time to time. We hang it in the coop and they'll peck away at it. We do the same with fresh lettuce or cabbage. It's a toy and food at the same time.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

I've never given them corn on the cob but I think I will give it a try this summer.

[hsehntr98]

So excited we got 2 more eggs today I know that is nothing compared to what most of you get, but when you are just starting out and it is kind of their lower production time, it's great to get any eggs.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

Congrats! They're producing, that's what is important.