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thewinkingtiger
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 936
Location: East Yorkshire, UK
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 Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:37 am Post subject: Some more numpty questions coming up!! :) |
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Hi everyone,
Hope you're all ok! I've been lurking here and there - but haven't had much to post. - Been busy watching my girls play and waiting for my first egg:)
I must say the post the other day with regards getting ready to lay, about bums and fingers - gave me wild dreams last night! Finally got an egg from a girl with a bum the size of the Mersey tunnel ROFL
Anyway - numpty questions!
All the chickens are on growers pellets at the moment - when do I switch to layers? Should I start giving them in preparation or wait until the first egg?? And will it do any harm if the younger ones eat the layers?
Also - how long should I leave uneaten pellets down? They seem to not be eating all I give them and I don't know whether I should keep refreshing with new ones - or whether I can leave them until they have all been eaten. I if I do throw them out - what do I do with them?? ie Will they go in the compost heap or should they go in the bin?
Cider Vinegar??? I bought some for tescos after having read about it on here - and thought the girls would love it and it be a real special treat. But - they don't seem to be impressed and have basically ignored it. Any ideas???
Also - how often should I clean out their house? I've been doing it every week - but what is coming out seems clean and dry apart from the odd poop - and I wonder if I don't need to do it so often. What's other peoples regimes?
Thanks in advance - and am sorry if the questions are daft ones!!
Love
Debs |
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nigel
Moderator
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 2338
Location: Skåne, Sweden
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Some more numpty questions coming up!! :) |
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| thewinkingtiger wrote: |
All the chickens are on growers pellets at the moment - when do I switch to layers? Should I start giving them in preparation or wait until the first egg?? And will it do any harm if the younger ones eat the layers?
Also - how long should I leave uneaten pellets down? They seem to not be eating all I give them and I don't know whether I should keep refreshing with new ones - or whether I can leave them until they have all been eaten. I if I do throw them out - what do I do with them?? ie Will they go in the compost heap or should they go in the bin? |
I start to move mine from growers to layers at 16 weeks. I just start putting the layers in the same feeder and that way the food changes gradually and there's less of a shock to their systems. I keep my feeders about half full all the time and just top them up.
| Quote: | | Cider Vinegar??? I bought some for tescos after having read about it on here - and thought the girls would love it and it be a real special treat. But - they don't seem to be impressed and have basically ignored it. Any ideas??? |
dilute the ACV at 2% in their drinking water that's 20ml per litre
| Quote: | | Also - how often should I clean out their house? I've been doing it every week - but what is coming out seems clean and dry apart from the odd poop - and I wonder if I don't need to do it so often. What's other peoples regimes? |
I clean mine every week, and like yours a lot of it is clean and dry. I just empty out the coup sweep it clean. Put a blow torch over the cracks - just in case. If it's a nice day I'll spray poultry shield - it takes a while to dry. Then I put a dusting of Stalosan F on the floor and then the shavings. Put chopped straw in the nest boxes with a dusting of Barrier Mite Powder on top.
| Quote: | | Thanks in advance - and am sorry if the questions are daft ones!! |
the only daft questions are the ones you don't ask 
[/quote] |
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George
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 5661
Location: London
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:02 am Post subject: Re: Some more numpty questions coming up!! :) |
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| thewinkingtiger wrote: | All the chickens are on growers pellets at the moment - when do I switch to layers? Should I start giving them in preparation or wait until the first egg?? And will it do any harm if the younger ones eat the layers?
Also - how long should I leave uneaten pellets down? |
Around 16 weeks is the change over point from growers to layers, and although the tufty's are only 13 weeks old they are on layers as I have run out of growers.
Probably will not do any harm if the younger birds eat layers, there isn't a great deal of difference between the 2
I just refill the feeder from the top, so in theory, they eat the older stuff first.
If they don't eat it, put it in a dish with a little warm water and let it soak in and give them that, mine love it
| thewinkingtiger wrote: | | Cider Vinegar??? I bought some for tescos after having read about it on here - and thought the girls would love it and it be a real special treat. But - they don't seem to be impressed and have basically ignored it. Any ideas??? |
I'm not sure the tesco's one is as good for them as those available from equestian centers.
you are mixing it with water aren't you? about 2% for 1 week in 4
They definately will not like it straight, would you? 
| thewinkingtiger wrote: | | Also - how often should I clean out their house? I've been doing it every week - but what is coming out seems clean and dry apart from the odd poop - and I wonder if I don't need to do it so often. What's other peoples regimes? |
I do mine once a week, seems to work out fine, and it's easier to do.  |
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CP
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Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 14942
Location: Hampshire
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:12 am Post subject: |
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What they said! ^ 
Don't forget to use a plastic or stainless steel container for the ACV - definately not galvanised or it will corrode. |
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thewinkingtiger
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 936
Location: East Yorkshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:54 am Post subject: |
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Awh! Thanks everyone for your quick replies and for not making me feel stupid!!
I will have to get a proper feeder so the food rotates properly - at the moment they are eating out of a washing up bowl
I think I will start mixing the layers and grower pellets if it's not going to do any harm for the younger ones. Is the cockerel ok to eat layers??????? 
I have been diluting the Cider Vinegar 20ml in 1000ml of water served in plastic and enamel bowls. I will keep trying them on it!!! Do you give them fresh water as well or is this mixture instead of??
And will try and get some 'real' stuff when I see it
Thanks again for you help
Debs |
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debcat
Moderator
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 8454
Location: Isle of Lewis
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| thewinkingtiger wrote: | Awh! Thanks everyone for your quick replies and for not making me feel stupid!!
I will have to get a proper feeder so the food rotates properly - at the moment they are eating out of a washing up bowl
I think I will start mixing the layers and grower pellets if it's not going to do any harm for the younger ones. Is the cockerel ok to eat layers???????
I have been diluting the Cider Vinegar 20ml in 1000ml of water served in plastic and enamel bowls. I will keep trying them on it!!! Do you give them fresh water as well or is this mixture instead of??
And will try and get some 'real' stuff when I see it
Thanks again for you help
Debs |
Mine eat out of a sheep trough it's the only think big enough for all of them.
We can't get growers here so mine go onto layers at 8 weeks, the cockerel will be fine
Debs |
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summayah
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 4289
Location: luton
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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All my girls run together from the age of about 2 weeks, so they eat the layers if they eat from the main food source. I do put chick crumbs and then growers into the baby house at night, and the babies do tend to eat at night so I think they get what they need from both sources of food. I have one of the feeders like a funnel where the food pops into a tray at the bottom and continues to fall down as they eat it. I just put fresh in as they use the old up. I don't think I could have it in an open bowl, they scratch so much out as it is in these feeders, although the newer one has a larger lip and food seems to be staying in there.
My girls love the ACV week, drink much more that week than the other three ~ maybe it's an aquired taste!! |
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Aussie Chick
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 2737
Location: Milton Keynes/ Brisbane
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree with all them above! The girls also love Museli with yoghurt! |
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mojo
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 10187
Location: GLENAY north deux sevre FRANCE
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:30 pm Post subject: hi |
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TIP.,....buy a hanging type feeder.hang at chickens back level..cuts down waste as they cant scratch out..............TIP.first time you use ACV give it at half strenght ie 1% then goto 2% next month you can use up your tesco ACV but the cloudy stuff from animal food supplier is better as its more natural.....TIP pick up poo on shovel each day or every second day will save cleaning out so often...........regards..............mojo  |
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thewinkingtiger
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 936
Location: East Yorkshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Great advice! Thanks all!!
Have tried them again with the ACV - "They will grow to like it!!" LOL
Looked at a feeder today at our local supplier - but it wasn't suitable so may have to go to a bigger one further out!! Will keep you posted!
Debs
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jaydee67
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Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 4921
Location: Shetland Islands
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thewinkingtiger
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 936
Location: East Yorkshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Julia!
Much cheaper than my local place! Have saved to my favourites!
Debs
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