Ex-commercial Free-Rangers

[Bramble-Poultry]

just remember that if you only feed corn, you wont get many eggs. best to feed layers pellets in the morning and a handful of corn each in the late afternoon

[frias]

Mine have layers pellets all day and a handful of corn just before bed. I'm still not getting eggs at the moment. Little b@ggers.

[Poddington Pea]

Yes, I was thinking pellets in the morning and corn later on, but I'm concerned that if I get the oyster/grit/corn mix then they won't have access to grit and oyster throughout the day. How can I ensure they get enough? Do they just sort themselves out if you make it available?

[chris]

They'll forage for grit if you let them out in your garden, and the pellets have all what they need. For such daft things, they are quite smart an know what they need/want. Ive watched mine leave corn and pick out only grit.

I don't think the mix ratio matters, as above you could have bowls of grit for them to peck at left in all the time.

I doubt your little on would be scared! Mines 2 months older, but from the get go, last October she wandered straight up to them and prodded them. Now they peck her if she points at them but she bats them back or runs off depending how hard they peck hehe.

[Poddington Pea]

They'll forage for grit if you let them out in your garden, and the pellets have all what they need. For such daft things, they are quite smart an know what they need/want. Ive watched mine leave corn and pick out only grit.

I don't think the mix ratio matters, as above you could have bowls of grit for them to peck at left in all the time.

I doubt your little on would be scared! Mines 2 months older, but from the get go, last October she wandered straight up to them and prodded them. Now they peck her if she points at them but she bats them back or runs off depending how hard they peck hehe.

Thanks Chris! We went down to Mole Valley today and they had grit and oyster together, separate from the corn. We got both. I will feel better knowing they have it there should they want it.
We are getting the coop we looked at today, it's a bit rough and ready, but good really(2 nesting boxes, 2 roosting perches, a double glazed window! Big door to clean out. You can see daylight through a couple of places, hopefully this will allow ventilation rather than drafts!)
We've been making a safe run today, for the girls to use when we're not about. Now to dig the wire in!
How deep do you reccomend everyone?!
We're hoping to pick them up tomorrow afternoon!!! Eeeek!
Thanks for all the help guys, I'll be sure to keep you updated
X

[chris]

Cool! I think I've read a foot or two down will help deter, but a skirt out a foot can help, not sure what is better. You could always dig in if it's going to be permanent, and then put bricks/flag stones around so a pest couldn't dig at the run edge. Bags of tips in the fox proof run thread in this forum (think title is building a fox proof run)- have a gander via the search (sorry I'd link it but on my phone ATM !)

I'm sure it'll be fine, ventilation is above heads, drafts are below- that's the mantra someone advised me here that said I moved my coop today to dog out a stump to make a new one- and my shed conversion fell to bits. I just booted it together for the time being.... At least it'll spur me into getting the new one sorted!! Take some pics when they arrive!

[nmayhew]

it may be too late, but if you have the opportunity to creosote your coop before you get your birds, plus necessary drying time, you should.

otherwise you will have to re-house temporarily when if / when you do it, which is a pain in the you know what.