[Cluckyclaire]

Hello all, just a query re chickens eating feathers, i am a new keeper (day 2  )and i saw one of the hens find and eat a feather, is this usual?

I believe I have the correct food for them, they are 16-17 weeks old and they have layers pellets, and they have had a tablespoon of corn each late afternoon (is this enough), and they have a pot of mixed grit for digestion but i know this is not food as such. As i have been recommended to just give them the pellets for now i have not added any vegetables, the pellets state Oil 4%, Protein 17%, is there anything else I need to be giving them? i understand the pellets are balanced and important that they eat these for the majority.

Oh one last thing....they all went to bed on their own tonight! they worked it out such clever girls!

many thanks

Claire 

[ANHBUC]

Glad your girls are settling in well Claire.

Your hens should have access to crushed oyster shell as well as a pot of grit.  It will help with the formation of their eggs.  Hens will peck at most things and eating feathers will only be a problem if they are pulling them from other hens.  They are just recycling the goodness so unless they are doing it a lot they should be ok.  Keep an eye out if they are trying to eat large feathers as they could get stuck in their crop and cause a blockage.  Sure if I have missed anything out or made a mistake in the advice a more experienced member will let you know.   

[Sassy]

Layers pellets are a complete food. A few greens are good but not too much. Anything else fed to chickens is not necessarily bad but is not necessary

[Cluckyclaire]

Thanks for the advice, I have not seen them taking feathers from each other so will keep an eye out, will keep them on their layers pellets though I also read on another post they should have growers pellets til they lay first egg? I only have layer pellets. They have mixed poultry grit (jondo 25kg)and that apparently contains soluble and insoluble grit it looks like it has shell in but I am not sure it's oyster shell more like regular seashell/cockleshell, they have access to the lawn that they are destroying rapidly hehe I have today received a run extension as whilst they seem quite happy I think they need more run space, honestly I cannot believe the coop and run I have states suitable for 6 large/9 small, I would say 2-3/5 max respectively though they have plenty of space in the house, cannot wait til they can enjoy free run of the whole garden once I have a day at home and they have settled, would this weekend be too soon to let them wander? I got them last saturday, Maybe I could cordon an area for them to start with?

Is it true that Orpingtons don't lay til 8-9 months old?

Cheers

Claire 

[ANHBUC]

I think they should be fine on layers pellets at 17 weeks old.  If you wait until they lay to give them layers they won't have the right mix to produce the shell.

Sounds like your grit does include what they class as oyster shell, mine looks like cockleshell pieces.

I have 2 new girls (bantams) and have been letting them out for about an hour before dusk.  This way they get used to the garden but I don't have to stress them trying to catch them and put them back in their coop/run.  They have been really good and just wander back to the coop when it starts getting dark.  They have been allowed to mix with our other hens at the same time so they have room to get out of the way if picked on.  With them being smaller I am not sure if I will integrate them but just let them mix when free ranging.

Maybe just start with letting them out for 1/2 hour before their usual bed time and just stay in the garden with them observing.  That way you can herd them in the right direction if they start wandering too far.  No sudden movements and they will soon get used to your presence.

Don't know when Orps start laying but someone else will advise you on that.  Glad you are enjoying getting to know your girls Claire.  Not much housework getting done at the weekend I think!!!   

[Cluckyclaire]

Hehe ANHBUC you are so right, could not believe i even had a weekend last week spent most of it in the garden talking to the girls so the housework did suffer :blink:, thats a great idea to let them out for half an hour before dusk whilst i stay with them, they are all getting to bed on their own at dusk now so will block off back half of garden so they dont wander too far and hopefully they will settle well, will let you know how it goes! 

[Sassy]

Like all hens they will lay when they are ready but being large birds they will probably need that bit longer to mature

It will be great when it happens and worth waiting for

[Chookiechook]

I would still have them on growers at that stage..... as soon as they lay their first egg you can put them onto the layers.... they will use up what they need out of their own body for the first shell and after that the layers will be in their system.