Caring for my chickens

[landgirl]

My husband recently died and I now have 8 chickens, a bantam cockerel and a goose to care for. He used to feed them on a mixture of organic corn and organic layers' pellets - is this OK? I'm also not sure about keeping them clean. There are two wooden houses, one square and one triangular, with internal nest boxes. The goose lives in a old goat stable, and the hens lay on top of a pile of straw bales in there. There is straw in the nest boxes and on the floor of the goose shed, and wood shavings on the floor of the chicken houses, but I don't know whether I am going to be able to get hold of this in the future. Could I use old newspapers and shredded paper? I've had a go at cleaning out the houses and it's very difficult and dusty - any advice about making it easier? The birds range outside in a small paddock during the day, and I shut them up at dusk. Is there anything else I ought to be doing?

[Brookfield Growers]

Hi Landgirl,
I am sorry to hear that you find yourself in these difficult times. With regard to the chickens it all sounds ok to me, just try not to give to much corn though or the chicks wont eat the layers pellets. I tend to give as a treat when I go down at tea time to collect the eggs. Shredded paper should be ok in the nesting boxes but may be a bit messy on the floors. As for cleaning them out just do it on regular basis and find a set of "tools" that work for you. I use a old long handled hoe to scrape the muck off the floor and perches. We have only had our chickens for 6 months and they bring alot of joy to us all.
I hope this helps reasure you in the short term I am sure that there will be replies from more experienced chicken keepers shortly. Take care and keep intouch with the vine.

[carlseawolf]

on the matter of feeding, if you give them corn they will need a supply of small gravel to beak down the corn ( spread it in the paddock or leave it in a tub , the chickens will help themselfs )
oyster shell is also required to help egg production ( calsium for shell making)
kitchen scraps but not meat ( that the offical line ) but anything that is raw or cooked, if raw chop very small.
greens are very important in making the yokes yellow , so cabbage leaves and a branch hung 2' up the side of the fence will give the resistance for the chicken to pull against.
i had 6 chickens before i moved and bought 25kg of corn a year and made the rest up with kitchen scraps , egg production may fall a little at first because its not a complete balanced diet as the laying pellets will be but the cost is less . ( egg production divided by cost of feed )

[CountryFayre]

Can't really add to what has already been said but just wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you in these difficult times.