Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
regular feed. All feeds are very attractive to rodents, easily
rotted by water, and a lure for grain moths, so they should be
kept in metal storage containers with tight-fitting lids.
Containers for keeping feed safe from pests.
One winter, I kept a feeder with both scratch and regular feed
available in the coop for the birds that were confined while
the snow was deep. I also kept bales of alfalfa hay in the
coop, covered with a tarp. Because the birds preferred the
scratch to the complete ration, they became nutritionally
deficient and sought to make up the difference by eating the
hay. One of the hens developed an obstruction of her crop this
way and had to be euthanized. So I have learned not to
provide scratch while the chickens are confined, especially if
an edible litter—like hay—is used.
What we do instead, when the chickens must be confined
because of bad weather, is provide a daily bunch of greens
such as lettuce or kale to supplement their feed. This helps
give the yolks a nice color and keeps the chickens from
getting bored.
Housing
All birds have similar housing requirements though their
habits are a bit different. A coop should be built for the birds
