chickens.... help

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well the chap we are sharing the allotment with has sadly for him chucked in the towel due to ill health

Anyone got any good links to chicken care / husbandry as we have just inherited 5 chickens with run and loft / roost

[jansman]

Right. Make sure they have water.ALWAYS.Make sure they have self feeders with layers pellets,and access to grit.Keep them mucked out,and make sure that they are not wading in mud. A cover over the run helps.Straw to scratch,and greenstuff when you can get it.Make sure foxes can't get in,or dig under.Thats it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

It's an established run / shed so the fox bit is as good as it's going to get...

There is two trays of water and a home made trough of food looking at it it will get muddy so I'm looking at some cover for some of it


The run needs a good dig over

The chaps just got a 20kg bin of feed so that will keep them going for a while I hope

The shed needs a bloody good clean ..

I'll health has given the chap a good kicking so I've been thrown in at the deep end

[jansman]

Get water and feed in proper hanging hoppers.Dig the run nd bang clean straw down.Do they need worming? Their shit will have red flecks in it if they do.In that case they need Flubenvet feed.You can buy it online,and you will have to answer welfare questions.Use a weak Jeyes fluid solutions for cleaning,and get some mite powder in there.Dont feed too much corn and keep clean water in,it helps towards the prevention of egg - eating.If you identify an egg- eater,then get it out and neck it.You will never cure it.

[berbie]

Chicken poo is an excellent compost activator for the compost heap. But straight onto the ground it can burn the roots of plants

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well it's a beginning....

Went round after work armed with a scraper a bin a brush and a big tin of doff outdoor disinfectant...

That was brand new when I started......

[Yorkshire Andy]

Got 2 new water dispensers on my way home need to get a outdoor feed dispenser as they didn't have any in...

Was no sign of anything in the shed resembles a red mite just a couple of flies

Got 5kg of Flubenvet feed on order I await my "questionnaire"

[Yorkshire Andy]

Hanging feed pot bought and part filled to put alongside the other for now to get them used to it..

Plan on roofing some of the outdoor run...

Off to pick some straw up Friday of a friendly farmer...

The broody bird is been a pain took her out the nest box put a ice pack in the box she was using after half an hour of complaining she set her stall out in one of the others

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well there is some pink / red in the crap so emptied the feed tub and Flubenvet layers feed added....

Noticed in the pouring rain today 2 of the birds have very wet feathers where as the other 3 were beading very well so either they are unwell / lacking something? Or just stood out much longer than the others?

[jansman]

You will know if anything is wrong, they find a corner and really mope.