December: What to do with the Old Cubby House?

Finding space and feeding treats

 

The official season of chicken breeding is drawing to a close, and I am pleased to report there are a few potential champions beginning to shape up. After all the hard work selecting birds to breed from, ensuring they are fed quality pellets, making sure they are happy and healthy, incubating eggs and now seeing the chicks on the ground, I had the conundrum of working out where to house all these youngsters! Lucky for me, I had my brother’s old cubby house which was perfect to re-purpose into a grower pen.

It was a family affair to modify it to suit the growers, yet simplistic as we already had a frame in which to attach the wire, so the shed came together in no time. It was important to use wire with small squares as this keeps out wild birds and rodents that will eat your feed and spread disease, plus keep out any local snakes! This extra space will be extremely beneficial in allowing my young birds to mature in a safe stress-free environment, as older birds can bully youngsters added to the flock.

Separating my growers also meant I can feed Barastoc Pullet Grower pellets which are specifically designed for birds aged 8-16 weeks of age. Feeding younger birds standard layer pellets can cause nutritional imbalances and not allow for poultry to develop properly. This can lead to long term impacts on laying and the overall health of your chickens which is why it is vital to give the birds a good start.

Everyone loves giving their chooks treats and I’m no exception! I also feed my growers grass, which I break up into small pieces to ensure they don’t get impacted crops. Another great source of greens is fresh lawnmower clippings which just happen to already be the perfect size! As a treat I throw out a small handful of 3 Grain Scratch Mix to keep the birds entertained, keeping in mind that too many treats will take away from a balanced diet.

One of the major issues seen in backyard hens is Fatty Liver Disease, which occurs due to obesity. A combination of excessive feeding of high energy treats and inactivity due to pen size lead to weight gain. This damages the liver to the point where it can rupture, causing sudden death, and is particularly prevalent in the warmer months of the year.
I believe nutrition is the most important factor for production and health in poultry and determines the overall thriftiness, egg laying capacity and well-being of your birds, and should be the priority for any backyard poultry keeper! As you can see from the images, my growers are thriving, happy and healthy, and a joy to photograph!

 

-Breanna Carr, Fourth year Veterinary Science student, Barastoc Poultry Junior Scholarship recipient.