[debih]

Our new chickens (collected on Friday afternoon) seem to be settling in nicely but I just have one or two questions.

1.    We are putting their food (layers pellets) in a metal feeder attached to the fence.  Should I mix the grit in with the food or give it separately?

2.    They seem to like their house a little too much!  They have their house in the middle of their enclosure (their run is approx 18 foot square) and they seem to spend the whole time in there.  Whenever I go out to them they are in the house although they happily come out whilst I am there.  They come out and strut around and go to their food and water (which is about 3 of my strides away from their house) and peck about but once I leave they go back in their house again until the next time I go out to them.  As much as I would love to spend all day sitting with them I do need to go to work and get on my jobs around the house! 

When we collected them they were with the other POL chickens in a barn and I don't think they had been outside yet.  Should I just leave them to come out at their own free will or should I close the house door so they can't get back in during the day for a while to make they stay out (which seems a little cruel).  Our neighbours a couple of doors away have chickens in a run and on a lovely day like today they are out all the time.

3.  Is there anything I should not feed them waste wise?  They have lots of vegetation in their run - grass, dandelions and a few dock leaves.  I put them some left over chopped lettuce and potato peelings out yesterday and they don't seem to be particularly interested in them but on the occasions that I have fed the neighbours chickens they have loved the fresh food.

[joyfull]

1) grit should be separately available, as should oyster shell.
2) if they aren't used to being outside give them time to settle in, they will realise before long that there is a whole world out there to explore.
3) Potato peelings should first be cooked never given raw, do not feed citrus fruit to them, and if they have vegetation in their run then they will be happy with that no need to add anymore until that has gone 

Relax and just enjoy the wonderful world of keeping chickens 

[hillfooter]

Our new chickens (collected on Friday afternoon) seem to be settling in nicely but I just have one or two questions.

1.    We are putting their food (layers pellets) in a metal feeder attached to the fence.  Should I mix the grit in with the food or give it separately?  Separately if they are young pullets they won't need any supplement apart from their Layers feed but just make it available ad lib and DON'T force feed

2.    They seem to like their house a little too much!  They have their house in the middle of their enclosure (their run is approx 18 foot square) and they seem to spend the whole time in there.  Whenever I go out to them they are in the house although they happily come out whilst I am there.  They come out and strut around and go to their food and water (which is about 3 of my strides away from their house) and peck about but once I leave they go back in their house again until the next time I go out to them.  As much as I would love to spend all day sitting with them I do need to go to work and get on my jobs around the house!  

When we collected them they were with the other POL chickens in a barn and I don't think they had been outside yet.  Should I just leave them to come out at their own free will or should I close the house door so they can't get back in during the day for a while to make they stay out (which seems a little cruel).  Our neighbours a couple of doors away have chickens in a run and on a lovely day like today they are out all the time.  Let them explore in their own time they'll venture out when they're confident it's safe

3.  Is there anything I should not feed them waste wise?  They have lots of vegetation in their run - grass, dandelions and a few dock leaves.  I put them some left over chopped lettuce and potato peelings out yesterday and they don't seem to be particularly interested in them but on the occasions that I have fed the neighbours chickens they have loved the fresh food. You must cook all potatoe peelings they can't digest them raw.  Also I'd suggest apart from salard you also cook vegatables .  Cabbage can be hung up raw but don't overdo the kitchen scraps (not waste) as you will unbalance their diet of nutrients in the layers.  Feed extras in the evening mostly and no more than half an ounce each which also includes mixed corn

Best of luck,
Sorry just seen Joys reply which I've just duplicated most of, Typical!
HF

[Casey76]

Great minds HF, great minds 

[debih]

Thanks for that.   

I have been up the garden for most of the afternoon so at least they have been outside for a few hours today!

[hillfooter]

Great minds HF, great minds 

That's got me worried!
HF

[joyfull]

don't worry HF well soon have you converted to plastic hen houses, sabelpoots and crushing egg shells