Thank you so much Clare for your information! At last a chicken info site that gives very specific and sensible information about how to care for chickens from feeding to handling. I love your videos and thank you for sharing your knowledge. I hope you are still doing this!
Thank you for your lovely comment Susi - really nice to get some feedback. We are still in the chicken business and still advising here and elsewhere online, although we've come to a break in the videos for the moment as I think we've covered just about everything that I get asked about. We would love to do more if there's a subject that you feel has been left out.
i dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a trick to get back into an Instagram account..? I somehow forgot my login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me
@Bobby Colin Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and I'm trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
I sometimes give my 2 chooks a little cooked rice, black oil sunflower seeds or dry oatmeal. They used to love mealworms but dont eat them since buying a 5 pound tin.
Dried mealworms are so dried out, there is nothing much left, as far as bulk in the mouth goes! Dry the fresh mealworms, so much better, I feel. More expensive of course. But they are easy to grow yourself, plenty of information on yt.
Chickenfeet turning blue. Won't eat either anymore. Stands only half up. A few days ago, I noticed a blue mark, just behind where the feet start. Now 4-5 days later, (she is isolated), she stopped eating and drinking yesterday and the blue mark is bigger. Could this be a hurt leg? Broken?
I think that you're asking about wild bird seed? If that's the case, then the answer is that it's not appropriate for chickens. You need to feed the correct food depending on their age, so chick crumbs for hatchlings under 6 weeks, then growers feed and finally layers pellets once they start to lay. This will give them the correct nutritional balance.
Just wanted to Thank you for all your fantastic information that keeps my hens healthy Also Ive hear some feed their hens a bowl of Buttermilk?? sort of probiotic ? they do it once a week to keep them healthy... whats your opinion on buttermilk and or yogurt? and if so.. how much and when,... Thanks.!
+leslie ladd Thank you Leslie :) There used to be a school of advice, which recommended giving probiotic yoghurt, but in fact recent research has shown that they aren't able to digest anything dairy. I would suggest giving a good quality poultry tonic such as Nettex's Vit Boost, which contains probiotic, or add some Bokashi Bran to their feed. Clare
Hi Clare, help! Please, worried about our 6 chooks, and have read that mealworms are not allowed in the UK? They are laying less over past week, there is evidence of molting, they seem well, they have their pellets all day in a large chicken feeder, but seem to be off their given food, they get a salad at lunchtime, spinach, handful, cut up very small cucumber, half, 1 whole tomato cut up small, and bowl full of sweetcorn, they have been getting dried mealworms, and cooked spaghetti twice weekly. They never get mashed potatoes or toast n marmite. Thanks Fiona.
Hi Fiona It could be down to them moulting a bit; the uncertain weather has brought some cooler, darker days which can start off a moult. You don't mention how old they are, but that can be factor in them not laying, as can a worm load - when were they last wormed or tested? I would ease back on all the treats - just give then pellets, water and a few dark greens at the end of the day. Keep them in the run for an extra hour at each end of the day too. Address these issues, and you'll probably see an increase in eggs ;) Clare Taylor
Thanks for your prompt reply Clare, very much appreciated, will do as you suggested, chooks are 10 months old, they have been given pure apple cider vinegar, ist week every month in their water, and (this is our ist venture into chicken keeping) sent for verm x. They have a dustbath with diatomaceous earth, child's sand and shovel of fresh earth which they love.! Wev just been out to check their crops, and all seem fine. X
@@FionaclarkClark Just be aware that neither Verm-X or ACV are wormers - you would need to test them quarterly with a faecal test kits such as Westgate Labs, then worm with Flubenvet pre-medicated pellets if necessary.
Hello Anna This subject first came up about 5 years ago, when there was worry that some imported brands of mealworms could be contaminated if they had been reared on a meat product(!) rather than the usual bran. For a while DEFRA decided that it wasn't ideal to be giving them to backyard chickens and that they should only be fed to wild birds - not sure on the logic there as there is possible cross-contamination between the latter and chickens. After much debate, the whole thing died down (much like the eggs/salmonella scares) and common sense has taken a part. Cotswold Chickens buys its dried mealworms from a UK source; the drying process should kill off any potential contaminants.
You can add a little warm water in the winter so that the scent of the feed attracts them, but any wet mash should be discarded after an hour as the mould which quickly forms when it goes 'sour' is toxic. You shouldn't generally need to make up a wet mash though.
Dear Clare. I've just had 6 chickens ,2Amber link ,2 com brown ,2Rhode rock ,all 16weeks .Never had fowel before I noticed you caught one with a large fishing landing net is that ok ,as I have never handled them before.Thankyou for the expert advice.
Hello William, sounds like you have some lovely birds there. When you have quite few, young and skittish birds in a pen, that is the easiest and least stressful - for them - way to catch them. On our courses, I show you how to catch and handle your birds, going through a full health check. At first, it's best to handle them at night after they have gone to roost and calmed down, that way, they will get used to being handled and you can then train them to come to you with a few treats. Once they are laying, your hens will become much more biddable. If you stay calm and still, they will learn to take treats from your hand, but don't feel tempted to chase them, or let any animals or children do this; they are easily shocked and could die.
How often should I clean my run I have 6 hens and it’s a 10 ft by 10ft but everytime I go in there seems to be no poop because it’s been raked into the ground by them?
It sounds as if your run is on bare earth....? Ideally, they should have bedding/litter in the run to soak up the droppings, The recommendation is that you rake some Ground Sanitising Powder through it weekly in between mucking out sessions. The powder will kill off any bacteria and intestinal worm eggs to prevent a worm infestation in your birds. I usually time the run clearing with when I worm my birds with Flubenvet, as the fresh litter and sanitising powder help to attack the worm lifecycle from both ends. Most people use a shredded hemp bedding called Aubiose, there are other makes; this is very dry, soaks up the droppings and composts very well. Ideally, the run should be on slabs for ease of clearing and security against predators and vermin. I hope that this helps
I’ve been feeding my chicks scraps and (also their normal food but they didn’t eat much and waited for the afternoon for scraps) now that I’ve come across your video I realise that I wasn’t feeding them well. My chicks have grown and are only eating scraps and only taking a little bite out of their pellets. I’m trying to mix the scraps and pellets but they still won’t eat them
Hi Jennie They won't eat any of their proper food while there are still treats around - it's like kids not wanting to eat their main course when there's pudding around! Take the treats away and keep the birds in the run with their pellets - they will soon eat them :)
CotswoldChickens can I still let them free range ? Also, I’ve left them with the pellets but eat much less out of it then the scraps.. is it ok, or would it be considered starving?
@@Minaaa3qzs They will be fine Jennie, they won't intentionally starve themselves. They may eat less for a couple of days and then tuck in. Best to keep them in the run for a couple or three days to get them used to it. Are you feeding a good quality pellet? I use Smallholder brand and they are excellent.
Hello Nathan Yes, you have that right - while it used to be perfectly OK to feed chickens on scraps, it is now against DEFRA regulations; this came about when the country and the farming community was devastated by Foot & Mouth in 2001. The law was designed to prevent products which may have come into contact with meat products in our kitchens from being fed to poultry, and thus possibly causing F&M to cross species and create yet more havoc. In the past, properly balanced chicken feed - the pellets and mash that we know nowadays - wasn't available and chickens were fed on a mixture of grains and scraps. Their lives were shorter and they laid less regularly. The pellets and mash that we have now is formulated to give your chickens all the nutrients that they need to stay healthy, live long lives and lay lots of eggs. Hence it is advised that you stick to their layers feed being about 98% of their diet, with some dark greens (spinach, dark cabbage etc) late in the day. I hope this helps to answer your question. Clare
While those are healthier than some things that chickens get fed (think Marmite on toast, mashed potato and pasta....!) please keep any treas to the end of the day so that they fill up on their layers rations. Avoid oilier stuff like sunflower seeds; an excess of these can give the birds diarrhoea and make them fat.
+Estee Lilly You would think so as Allicin is toxic to some animals, but not in the tiny amounts used here. Mine have all had it in their feed for years, and my oldest hen (a pekin of 9 years old) has only just passed. It has excellent health benefits, both as an anti-viral/bacterial and also to deter parasites.
Chicks have different nutritional needs; they will need to be fed a medicated chick crumb for the first 6 weeks, then moving onto growers rations after that and until they come into lay. The chick crumbs are mediated with an anti-coccidiostat to prevent coccidiosis, which can be fatal in small chicks
Haha, I am guessing that you are jesting? Please don't feed them any food that is processed and for human consumption; they can't metabolise salt and sugar, so it will eventually poison them. Please stick to their layers feed.
Hello Jizzy I am sorry to hear about your chicks, but you must act quickly, or this can be fatal. I can't see them, but I am guessing that they might have 'pasted vent', where their vents get blocked up with dried faeces. It is important to soak their bottoms very gently in warm water and CAREFULLY wash off the faeces blocking their vents so that they can pass stools. Make sure that you are washing their vent and not their umbilical, which is just below the vent. This condition can be prevented by carefully checking the temperature of their surroundings and their drinking water. I would add a couple of drops of Nettex's Vit Boost poultry tonic to their water to aid their growth and recovery. Hope this helps
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you so much Clare for your information! At last a chicken info site that gives very specific and sensible information about how to care for chickens from feeding to handling. I love your videos and thank you for sharing your knowledge. I hope you are still doing this!
Thank you for your lovely comment Susi - really nice to get some feedback.
We are still in the chicken business and still advising here and elsewhere online, although we've come to a break in the videos for the moment as I think we've covered just about everything that I get asked about. We would love to do more if there's a subject that you feel has been left out.
i dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a trick to get back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow forgot my login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me
@Bentlee Deacon instablaster :)
@Bobby Colin Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and I'm trying it out atm.
Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Bobby Colin It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thank you so much you saved my account!
I sometimes give my 2 chooks a little cooked rice, black oil sunflower seeds or dry oatmeal. They used to love mealworms but dont eat them since buying a 5 pound tin.
Dried mealworms are so dried out, there is nothing much left, as far as bulk in the mouth goes!
Dry the fresh mealworms, so much better, I feel. More expensive of course. But they are easy to grow yourself, plenty of information on yt.
However the wild birds love the dried one's.
Very informative, no waste of time , GREAT!
Thank-you, I have subscribed.
Chickenfeet turning blue. Won't eat either anymore. Stands only half up.
A few days ago, I noticed a blue mark, just behind where the feet start.
Now 4-5 days later, (she is isolated), she stopped eating and drinking yesterday and the blue mark is bigger.
Could this be a hurt leg? Broken?
Can you recommend a book for medical problems for chickens?
Hello Diane, I'm sorry but I don't know of one - you could check out on the internet though, or ask me :)
Clare
I’m in the states are bird seeds ok since it’s like grains and other seeds .
But when I get my chickens started some of that looks great
I think that you're asking about wild bird seed?
If that's the case, then the answer is that it's not appropriate for chickens. You need to feed the correct food depending on their age, so chick crumbs for hatchlings under 6 weeks, then growers feed and finally layers pellets once they start to lay. This will give them the correct nutritional balance.
Just wanted to Thank you for all your fantastic information that keeps my hens healthy
Also Ive hear some feed their hens a bowl of Buttermilk?? sort of probiotic ? they do it once a week to keep them healthy... whats your opinion on buttermilk and or yogurt? and if so.. how much and when,... Thanks.!
+leslie ladd Thank you Leslie :)
There used to be a school of advice, which recommended giving probiotic yoghurt, but in fact recent research has shown that they aren't able to digest anything dairy. I would suggest giving a good quality poultry tonic such as Nettex's Vit Boost, which contains probiotic, or add some Bokashi Bran to their feed.
Clare
Hi Clare, help! Please, worried about our 6 chooks, and have read that mealworms are not allowed in the UK? They are laying less over past week, there is evidence of molting, they seem well, they have their pellets all day in a large chicken feeder, but seem to be off their given food, they get a salad at lunchtime, spinach, handful, cut up very small cucumber, half, 1 whole tomato cut up small, and bowl full of sweetcorn, they have been getting dried mealworms, and cooked spaghetti twice weekly. They never get mashed potatoes or toast n marmite. Thanks Fiona.
Hi Fiona
It could be down to them moulting a bit; the uncertain weather has brought some cooler, darker days which can start off a moult.
You don't mention how old they are, but that can be factor in them not laying, as can a worm load - when were they last wormed or tested? I would ease back on all the treats - just give then pellets, water and a few dark greens at the end of the day. Keep them in the run for an extra hour at each end of the day too.
Address these issues, and you'll probably see an increase in eggs ;)
Clare Taylor
Thanks for your prompt reply Clare, very much appreciated, will do as you suggested, chooks are 10 months old, they have been given pure apple cider vinegar, ist week every month in their water, and (this is our ist venture into chicken keeping) sent for verm x. They have a dustbath with diatomaceous earth, child's sand and shovel of fresh earth which they love.! Wev just been out to check their crops, and all seem fine. X
@@FionaclarkClark Just be aware that neither Verm-X or ACV are wormers - you would need to test them quarterly with a faecal test kits such as Westgate Labs, then worm with Flubenvet pre-medicated pellets if necessary.
@@CotswoldChickens OK Clare, thanks, I got bit muddled up, checked with hubby and he's ordered flubenvet!
Love your video. Very helpful and informative. 😊
thank you so much for all information
I recently heard that its now illegal to feed them meal worms because of contaminants is this correct
Hello Anna
This subject first came up about 5 years ago, when there was worry that some imported brands of mealworms could be contaminated if they had been reared on a meat product(!) rather than the usual bran. For a while DEFRA decided that it wasn't ideal to be giving them to backyard chickens and that they should only be fed to wild birds - not sure on the logic there as there is possible cross-contamination between the latter and chickens. After much debate, the whole thing died down (much like the eggs/salmonella scares) and common sense has taken a part. Cotswold Chickens buys its dried mealworms from a UK source; the drying process should kill off any potential contaminants.
thanks alot
Great vid. Is it ok to wet the pellets so it’s a stiff mush(not sloppy)?
You can add a little warm water in the winter so that the scent of the feed attracts them, but any wet mash should be discarded after an hour as the mould which quickly forms when it goes 'sour' is toxic. You shouldn't generally need to make up a wet mash though.
Dear Clare. I've just had 6 chickens ,2Amber link ,2 com brown ,2Rhode rock ,all 16weeks .Never had fowel before I noticed you caught one with a large fishing landing net is that ok ,as I have never handled them before.Thankyou for the expert advice.
Hello William, sounds like you have some lovely birds there.
When you have quite few, young and skittish birds in a pen, that is the easiest and least stressful - for them - way to catch them. On our courses, I show you how to catch and handle your birds, going through a full health check. At first, it's best to handle them at night after they have gone to roost and calmed down, that way, they will get used to being handled and you can then train them to come to you with a few treats. Once they are laying, your hens will become much more biddable. If you stay calm and still, they will learn to take treats from your hand, but don't feel tempted to chase them, or let any animals or children do this; they are easily shocked and could die.
How often should I clean my run I have 6 hens and it’s a 10 ft by 10ft but everytime I go in there seems to be no poop because it’s been raked into the ground by them?
It sounds as if your run is on bare earth....?
Ideally, they should have bedding/litter in the run to soak up the droppings, The recommendation is that you rake some Ground Sanitising Powder through it weekly in between mucking out sessions. The powder will kill off any bacteria and intestinal worm eggs to prevent a worm infestation in your birds. I usually time the run clearing with when I worm my birds with Flubenvet, as the fresh litter and sanitising powder help to attack the worm lifecycle from both ends.
Most people use a shredded hemp bedding called Aubiose, there are other makes; this is very dry, soaks up the droppings and composts very well. Ideally, the run should be on slabs for ease of clearing and security against predators and vermin.
I hope that this helps
CotswoldChickens yes thank you I have been scattering a bit of wood shavings aswell thank you for the quick reply
thanks for this video.
I’ve been feeding my chicks scraps and (also their normal food but they didn’t eat much and waited for the afternoon for scraps) now that I’ve come across your video I realise that I wasn’t feeding them well. My chicks have grown and are only eating scraps and only taking a little bite out of their pellets. I’m trying to mix the scraps and pellets but they still won’t eat them
Hi Jennie
They won't eat any of their proper food while there are still treats around - it's like kids not wanting to eat their main course when there's pudding around! Take the treats away and keep the birds in the run with their pellets - they will soon eat them :)
CotswoldChickens can I still let them free range ?
Also, I’ve left them with the pellets but eat much less out of it then the scraps.. is it ok, or would it be considered starving?
@@Minaaa3qzs They will be fine Jennie, they won't intentionally starve themselves. They may eat less for a couple of days and then tuck in. Best to keep them in the run for a couple or three days to get them used to it. Are you feeding a good quality pellet? I use Smallholder brand and they are excellent.
CotswoldChickens thank you!!
CotswoldChickens I’m using layers pellets from dodson & horrell
Is it true, your not allowed to feed your Chickens Kitchen food Scraps?
Hello Nathan
Yes, you have that right - while it used to be perfectly OK to feed chickens on scraps, it is now against DEFRA regulations; this came about when the country and the farming community was devastated by Foot & Mouth in 2001. The law was designed to prevent products which may have come into contact with meat products in our kitchens from being fed to poultry, and thus possibly causing F&M to cross species and create yet more havoc.
In the past, properly balanced chicken feed - the pellets and mash that we know nowadays - wasn't available and chickens were fed on a mixture of grains and scraps. Their lives were shorter and they laid less regularly. The pellets and mash that we have now is formulated to give your chickens all the nutrients that they need to stay healthy, live long lives and lay lots of eggs. Hence it is advised that you stick to their layers feed being about 98% of their diet, with some dark greens (spinach, dark cabbage etc) late in the day.
I hope this helps to answer your question.
Clare
@@CotswoldChickens Thank you Clare. Best Wishes
They also love papaya with the seeds
While those are healthier than some things that chickens get fed (think Marmite on toast, mashed potato and pasta....!) please keep any treas to the end of the day so that they fill up on their layers rations. Avoid oilier stuff like sunflower seeds; an excess of these can give the birds diarrhoea and make them fat.
@@CotswoldChickens thanks, very helpful info. I just read somewhere the same thing.
Isn't garlic like onions and citrus bad for them?just wondering
+Estee Lilly You would think so as Allicin is toxic to some animals, but not in the tiny amounts used here. Mine have all had it in their feed for years, and my oldest hen (a pekin of 9 years old) has only just passed. It has excellent health benefits, both as an anti-viral/bacterial and also to deter parasites.
What if their only little chicks
Chicks have different nutritional needs; they will need to be fed a medicated chick crumb for the first 6 weeks, then moving onto growers rations after that and until they come into lay. The chick crumbs are mediated with an anti-coccidiostat to prevent coccidiosis, which can be fatal in small chicks
They’re 😎
Can they eat muesli? I have every morning. I feel great. But I am not a chicken.
Haha, I am guessing that you are jesting? Please don't feed them any food that is processed and for human consumption; they can't metabolise salt and sugar, so it will eventually poison them. Please stick to their layers feed.
CotswoldChickens ..... Thanks, the one I get is mostly seeds. I promise I won't give to chickens.
What should I give baby chicks that can't pass their stools?
Hello Jizzy
I am sorry to hear about your chicks, but you must act quickly, or this can be fatal. I can't see them, but I am guessing that they might have 'pasted vent', where their vents get blocked up with dried faeces. It is important to soak their bottoms very gently in warm water and CAREFULLY wash off the faeces blocking their vents so that they can pass stools. Make sure that you are washing their vent and not their umbilical, which is just below the vent.
This condition can be prevented by carefully checking the temperature of their surroundings and their drinking water. I would add a couple of drops of Nettex's Vit Boost poultry tonic to their water to aid their growth and recovery.
Hope this helps
like 👍👍
Very cool 🦭