Re: hens and spurs, was: I Need Help!

From: Jill. (news_at_REMOVETHISkintaline.co.uk)
Date: 12/30/04 

Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:15:18 -0000

Shelli wrote:
> I'm only a 16 year old from the city trying to figure out how to care
> for my chickens which i consider pets.

It would be a very good idea to get a good book about keeping your chickens
There are some basic things you really should find out about to ensure you
do a good job

> I'm doing the best i can trying
> to figure out how they work.

How much did you ask the person you bought the birds from ?
How many places did you visit to find out about keeping them?

 But anyways, i feed them grains of corn,
> wheat, rice and some other kind of grain.

That all sounds like human food - chickens are very different to humans
Please will you go to your local feed store and get chicken food for your
birds. ?
Your birds are laying so you need layers feed.
It has the correct nutritional balance for the birds
They must have this completely free choice.

They also eat from the grass
> and plants outside and during the rainy days i go out with them to dig
> for some worms.

That is good

> My mom likes to boil some noodles for them sometimes.

Again its human food not chicken food
They are allowed a little bit of titbits - but no more than 1 oz per bird
per day and that includes any wheat you give in the afternoon

> They eat plenty of food. How much is enough?

Of the pellets - its free choice and they should eat around 120grammes per
day each

Sometimes i get scared
> because they do this wierd thing with their head when they're full, it
> looks like if they're about to throw up or something. Mom thinks it's
> normal but i don't know.

Difficult to know what you are describing but if its after cooked noodles or
some such its probably just because their crop gets stodgy

Folks here are always keen to help newcomers to chicken keeping but you
really must go to the bookshop or library and do some homework too

Good luck 

--
regards
Jill Bowis
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment,  Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

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