Hi everyone,
I'm new in this forum, and wanted to say hello; I have never had chickens before, but this past spring we decided to try them out. We ended up with 9 golden sex-link hens, and about two weeks ago they started laying. It has been a fun and wonderful experience for our whole family- my little girl loves them and loves collecting eggs. Yesterday we had 7 eggs, and we've gotten 5 so far today- our girls are busy! I have to say I have been very lucky- they've been fairly trouble free, figured out the nesting boxes right away, don't pick on each other or the eggs, and take everything in stride.
I let the hens out every now and then to roam around- we have just under 3 acres, and I'm wondering- if I let them stay out for a while, will they go back to the nesting boxes in the coop to lay?
If I am feeding a commercial feed and letting them roam around every few days, do I need to provide grit as well?
How do you all contain oyster shell for them? I've tried to have it by their feed for them to pick at, but they just dump it over and/or poop in it- what should I put it in?
I have one hen who has some missing feathers and crusty looking skin where the feathers were, but they're missing from her back, just before her tail begins. Also, her comb flops over whereas the other hens' combs are fully upright. I've looked very closely and have good eyesight and haven't seen a single mite, so I'm guessing she's being picked on- should I separate her?
Sometimes when I go out to check on the hens in the morning, one is obviously settling to lay- will I disturb her if I go in to the coop to collect the other eggs, or should I just wait for her to finish?
Hello and questions
Welcome Sellier,I have golden sex links as well,they were my first chickens last year and I also had black sexlinks and one rooster.I got 10 more golden sexlinks this spring and 10 easter eggers(they will lay blue or green eggs)I love having chickens and I got a new coop built this spring to house all my girls(and some guys)I also have two silkie hens and a cochin rooster,they were given to me.Those golden comets as mine are called are great egg layers and very friendly and quiet birds.I can answer some of your questions and what I can`t someone else will,great peaple here and so knowledgeable,thats how I learned from these peaple.I`m going to say that if they are outside they would not need grit as they will get small stones and such,but I provide that and oyster shell as its so cheap,I put my oyster shell in a hanging freeder so they don`t upset it.Some of my hens are missing feathers on there back but its because I had a very aggresive rooster,hes been gone for a couple months now and they still don`t have all there feathers back yet.Not sure about the comb,or the crusty back.No you will not disturb your hen she will stay in the nesting box if she is laying an egg.So glad your on here and you will learn a lot from here and don`t ever think that a question is to dumb to ask there is no such thing as a dumb question here.
I have chickens that are allowed to free range all day and they cover a couple of acres. Usually the lay in the nest boxes, but occasionally I'll find eggs in a hen-made nest under a bush. I too have one hen with a comb that flops over; it doesn't seem to mean anything - although when she was first maturing , I was afraid she was going to be a rooster. I have oyster shell in a hanging feeder too, but I mix a little mash in with it to entice the girls to eat it (probably unnecessary.)
Welcome to the zany world of the poultry and livestock forum!
Welcome to the forum, and you already have gotten some reat advice. The comb laying over is really not unusual, in fact there are some breeds that have combs alway laying over. It's really no different that people with different size body parts. Nothing to worry about and it sounds like the hen with some missing feathers has been mating probably with one of the boys. Just something they do. Green was right on about the oyster shell, it's not necessary if they free range but never hurts if you want to add a little for them. I hope you have a blast with them, and it's great your little girl, loves them. Just one word of caution, if you have a rooster, be sure you watch him around your little girl. They can be vicious if they decide to go after a child. A bad experience like that can send you reeling. Haystack
Welcome!
Haystack is right, the laying over comb can be perfectly normal. We have some that are straight and some that lay over. One sort of has a curl to it, looks really neat.
Be sure you watch out for predators if you let the girls roam. Hawks are in this area and you arn't really too awfully far from us so I would think you would have them too. I've noticed they are usually more active in the mornings and evenings here.
Good luck with the chickens. They are a lot of fun and a great learning experience for kids. We have more than 80 and most are named. Some that arn't have just hatched this summer so the kids are waiting to see if they are hens or roos. We won't be keeping roos we already have enough.
Wow Smedge: You have a lot of chickens, do you raise them for eggs or do you sell some of the chickens? Haystack
Thanks everyone- it sounds like I've finally found a great place for info- I'm still working out the crusty back/missing feathers, though- I'm pretty sure she hasn't gotten in from "foolin' around" with a rooster, seeing as I don't have a rooster- it's just the hens at this house.
Is it possible they're starting a molt already? It seems like they just started laying- just a little over two weeks now.
It sounds like I need to get another small hanging feeder for the oyster shell.
Thanks again, and I'll keep in touch!
oh- btw, smedgekles- you're absolutely right about the hawks, which is why I don't let my girls out unless I'm out working with the horses or in the garden to watch- we actually have a nest of Cooper's Hawks in a pine tree in our back pasture, and they are VERY noisy- I've always figured they're just talking about how frustrated they are that they can't get to the little buffet I have locked away in my coop :)
Sounds like they've got you well covered. My girls free range all the time. Every once in a while they will start laying away from their boxes...for the most part though, they're good. And there are plenty of buildings and such for them to hide near so I don't worry much about hawks. (it's only the human raised younger chicks who seem to be in any danger...they don't hide!! Now my hens I've caught starting at airplanes and looking, then running for cover!!)
Haystack we do have a brood of chickens. Out of that 80 plus chickens (not sure anymore how many I think its about 84 or85) a good amount were hatched since February, we had a lot of broodies, we started out this year with 54 but lost one to a hawk.
Some of those little ones are roos so they will become dinner. The hens will get introduced to the bigger ones when they are old enough and become part of the flocks.
grownut the hawks here are quite crafty. Plenty places to hide doesn't always help. We have lots of trees, places they can hide and a dog and the hawks will still come far too close. We had one hawk swoop down over our pens chasing a little bird. It swooped right over the dog and chased the little bird over to the pool that my daughter was in. The little bird landed and the hawk pounced on it. My daughter splashed water on it before it took off with its prize. Just too close for comfort.
WELCOME SELLIER!!!! My kids have a great time with the chickens as well. My two love collecting eggs also! What fun. Sounds like you have gotten a bunch of great advice. My chickens do not free range as yours do. I have a pen set up for them to contain them during the day. They have a playground of sorts in there to keep them busy. LOL I would love to see pics of your new layers. Congrats!! Have a great day!!!