My little chicks are now full grownladiesand so a bunch of changes and considerations had to be made.
Your chickens might be late in development if theyre not getting all their nutritional needs met, he explained.
Chicken feed comes in either starter feed or layer feed, and they have different nutritional content.
Grit plays an essential role in helping chickens break down and digest their feed.
When your chickens become layers, they graduate to regular grit, which contains larger particles.
Equally important is the addition of oyster shells or another source of high-level calcium for your laying chickens.
However, Warner explained something fascinating about chickens I didnt know: They are fabulous self-regulators.
They eat what they need.
The food-shaming in my coop ceased immediately (I swear).
Its an all-you-can-eat oyster-shell fest these days.
By the way, your eggs can also be helpful in understanding if the chickens have calcium issues.
The other fascinating tidbit Warner offered was that chickens cant taste their food, so theyre fully visual eaters.
They want to eat something that looks appealing, so recognition helps.
This is part of why some people choose crumbles instead of pellets for their feed.
How important are supplements for backyard birds?
I asked Warner what was actually considered essential for your backyard flock.
Probiotics and vitamins can help prevent flock problems like pasty butt, a common coop problem.
Additional supplements like mixed herbs are likely less helpful.
Warner felt similarly about products like coop conditioner, meant to offset coop smells.
Snacks are important
Warner also talked about the utility of snacks for your birds.
Warner had a good point, too.
The chickens seem appreciative based on how often they now knock at the back door.
Your chickens need the winter to rest.
I can easily see myself aging alongside these four idiotshopefully someone will buy me a swing and xylophone.
