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Chick Deliveries At J&N Feed and Seed

Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

It’s chick season and we’ve got 2 chick deliveries coming up in March at J&N Feed and Seed.  Spring chicks arrive on March 13th and March 22nd. Chicks will be available by noon on the dates listed. We recommend calling the store before you head over to confirm delivery. All baby chicks are pullets, 90% accuracy unless otherwise noted.

chick deliveriesNew to raising chicks? Prepare for your backyard flock with these great tips from Purina.

Raising chickens is a great experience for the whole family. One of the primary requirements is providing housing that is comfortable for your backyard flock. Young chicks can be raised in a variety of structures, but the area should be warm, dry and ventilated, but not drafty. Also, make sure it is easy to clean.

Warming:
Small numbers of chicks can be warmed adequately with heat lamps placed about 20 inches above the litter surface.
  • Bigger groups of birds in a large room, such as a shed or a garage, should have a supplemental heat source such as a brooder stove.
Before you bring them home:
Several days in advance, thoroughly clean and disinfect the brooder house and any equipment the chicks will use. Doing this in advance will allow everything to dry completely. Dampness is a mortal enemy to chicks, resulting in chilling and encouraging disease such as coccidiosis (parasite infection).
  • When the premises are dry, place 4 to 6 inches of dry litter material (wood shavings or a commercial litter) on the floor.

Feeders and Waterers
It’s important to ensure your chicks have access to fresh feed and water. Positioning the feeders and waterers along the edges of the comfort zone will:

  • Keep the water and feed from being overheated
  • Help keep water and feed cleaner (chicks milling and sleeping under the warmth source often scatter bedding and feces)
  • Encourage the chicks to move around and get exercise

Be sure to have plenty of fresh feed and water when the chicks arrive:

  • At least two 1-quart or one 1-gallon waterer for every 25 to 50 chicks
  • Dip the beaks of several chicks into the water to help them locate it. These chicks will teach the rest.
Feeders:
  • Day 1: Use clean egg flats, shallow pans or simple squares of paper with small piles of feed on them.
  • Day 2: Add proper feeders to the pens.
  • A few days later: Remove the messy papers, pans or egg flats once chicks have learned to eat from the feeders.
Waterers:
  • Should be emptied, scrubbed, rinsed and refilled daily
  • Wet litter around waterers should be removed as often as possible. Dampness encourages disease and parasite transmission. The drier the premises, the healthier and happier the chicks.
  • At about 4 weeks of age, ducks and geese will appreciate a swimming area, but you will need to keep the wet litter cleaned up.
  • In winter months, you may need to purchase a water heater to prevent water from freezing.
  As chicks grow:
  • Feeders and waterers can be moved outward from the heat source, expanding their area of activity and helping keep the feeders and waterers clean.
  • As the birds grow, the feeders and waterers should be adjusted to the height of the back of a standing bird. This will help decrease contamination and minimize wastage

Feeding your chicks
It is important to select a complete feed that gives your chicks all the nutrition they need to grow into healthy hens. Once they’ve reached maturity,a high-quality complete layer feed will help to maximize egg production and quality. If they are broiler chicks, choose a feed designed to support their more rapid growth. Layer chicks will reach egg-laying age at about 18 to 20 weeks; broiler chicks will reach market weight at 8 to 10 weeks.

You may also consider occasional supplements to their diets, such as table scraps, scratch grains, oyster shell, and grit. However, supplemental feeds should make up no more than 10 percent of a hen’s diet.

Purina offers a complete line of poultry feeds appropriate for each bird in your flock. A list of Purina products can be found here.

Lighting and heating for your chicks
A thermometer should be placed at the chicks’ level to accurately gauge temperature.

  • Adjust the brooder stove and/or heat lamps 24 hours in advance so that upon the chicks’ arrival, you’ve created a comfort zone that is 90º F at “chick level.”
  • For turkey chicks, the comfort zone should be 100º F.
  • Use a brooder guard (a plastic, cardboard or wire barrier) for a few days to encircle the brooding area so that the chicks don’t wander too far from the warmth.
  • Once chicks have learned where the heat is, remove or expand the guard. This will allow the chicks to escape the heat if necessary. Getting overheated can be as dangerous as getting chilled.
  • Chicks that huddle under the lamp are too cold. Chicks that sprawl along the brooder guard is too hot. Chicks happily milling around all portions of the brooder area are comfortable.
  • The temperature can be gradually reduced by 5º F per week to a minimum of 55º F.

Even after your chicks have grown into hens, keep a standard old-fashioned 40-watt incandescent light bulb handy; or, if you’re using the new energy-efficient bulbs, a 28-watt halogen, 10-watt compact fluorescent, or 8-watt LED bulb, to maintain the artificial light necessary for egg laying to continue through the winter months.

Source: Purina Poultry

Get all your baby chick and chicken supplies at J&N Feed and Seed! We have chicken feed, feeders, fencing, waterers, heat lamps and more!

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Introducing New Chickens to Your Flock

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

introducing new chickens to your flock

Whether you’re starting with a group of new chicks or you’re looking to add a few new hens to an existing flock, proper planning, care and management can help the transition in introducing new chickens to your flock to be most successful.

Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D., a flock nutrition expert for Purina Animal Nutrition, says it’s especially important to understand the commitment of raising new birds.

“Springtime and new birds are often thought of together: both represent new beginnings and excitement, but we can’t forget that raising chicks is a long-term commitment,” Roeder says.

“Be sure to have a long-term plan and a place for them to live before your new birds arrive,” she adds. “Preparing for new arrivals can help prevent the spread of disease and keep the peace in your existing flock’s pecking order.”

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Manage new birds separately.

As soon as new birds arrive, keep them separate from the rest of the flock. This allows you to monitor the birds closely and prevent any possible illness from spreading to either group.

“New birds have often traveled a fair amount and been near other birds – and your existing flock may have built immunity to germs in your area,” Roeder says. “Keep new birds in a separate room or coop for 30 days and monitor them to make sure they are free of disease and to acclimate them to your backyard.”

During this period, work with the existing flock first and wash your hands between groups to prevent any cross-contamination.

A similar quarantine plan is recommended for new chicks, as older hens can transmit disease to chicks and pullets. For chicks, though, the separation should last for 18 weeks to help the birds reach mature size and transition onto a layer feed before meeting other members of the flock.

“Start new chicks away from the flock, in a brooder,” Roeder says. “This allows you to provide the chicks supplemental heat and teach them to drink and eat a high-energy complete feed. Once they are ready to enter a coop, continue to raise them separately until they reach the same size as the mature birds to minimize potential physical injuries once the two groups of birds are introduced.”

Introduce birds in groups.

After the quarantine period, gradually familiarize new birds to the existing flock. Introducing groups of birds similar in size and traits into a familiar setting can help provide a smooth transition. Be sure there is plenty of space to prevent overcrowding.

“One way to help both groups acclimate to each other is to place the two groups in side-by-side runs,” Roeder says. “Placing the two groups next to one another for one week can help the birds form bonds before being housed together. It can also alert you to potential personality clashes that may be difficult to resolve. Another strategy is to let the new group free-range first and then introduce the existing flock to place the focus on new surroundings rather than new flock members.”

In either case, add additional feeders and waterers to the run to prevent the new birds from being deterred from eating and drinking. During the introduction period, the new pecking order will begin to be established. In most flocks, one bird is dominant in the group and the remaining birds will fall into an accepted order below the dominant bird. Occasionally two strong-willed birds may consistently fight in an attempt to gain the position of dominant bird.  In this case, the owner may need to find a new home for one of them in order to maintain peace in the flock.

“The pecking order is a very stable structure in the group until a bird is removed or new birds are added,” Roeder says. “At that point, the order must be re-established. Add new birds in a group with similar-sized hens and plenty of available feed, space and water to help ease the transition.”

Monitor for success.

After new birds are added to the group, monitor the flock for success or fallouts.

“Watch the group closely after the introduction,” Roeder says. “Birds that are happy, healthy and content will continue their routines without changes in personality or feed consumption. Consistency is especially important during transitions, so be sure to continue providing high-quality complete feed, shelter and fresh water at all times.”

Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D. – Multi-Species Nutritionist – Purina Mills

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Keep your Backyard Flock Cool, Calm and Comfortable

Monday, June 13th, 2016

Two chickens walking on grass with a chicken coop behindSummer is a time for fun, adventure and excitement – for both flock owners and backyard flocks. As the summer sun hits its peak, flock owners can apply their own summer health practices to better care for their backyard poultry.

The summertime essentials are similar for both humans and backyard flocks: stay hydrated, protect yourself from the heat and maintain a complete and balanced diet.

As humans, our habits change in the summer. We adapt to stay comfortable. By providing our backyard chickens the tools they need, they can also adapt and enjoy the sunshine.

Many people don’t realize that birds are unable to sweat. To cool down, they open their beaks and pant or spread their wings away from their bodies. If these cooling strategies are not enough, birds are more likely to become lethargic and may stop eating feed, which can lead to subsequent health challenges and reduced egg production.

We want to avoid these signs of heat stress by preventing problems before they begin. With the right care, birds will maintain their routines of foraging, pecking and chattering throughout the day.

Remember the H2O
Staying hydrated in the summer is a clear choice for humans. As temperatures rise, a good rule for people to follow is to calculate half your body weight in pounds and drink the equivalent number of ounces of water.

For our backyard chickens, the practice should be similar: Clean, cool water is essential. Follow the general rule of providing 500 milliliters of fresh water per bird per day. This equates to one gallon for every seven adult birds.

Drinking water helps cool birds’ body temperatures. In high temperatures, chickens will drink up to twice as much water as during temperate conditions. If chickens do not have quality water, they are less likely to eat or lay eggs.

To help chickens stay hydrated:
  • Provide extra waterers so each bird has access at all times.
  • Place waterers in a shaded area to help keep the water cool and the coop dry.
  • Offer fresh, cool water in the morning and evening.
  • Freeze water in a storage container. Place the resulting ice in the waterer in the morning to keep the water cool.
  • Place marbles in waterers to prevent splashing.
  • Wash waterers weekly with a mixture of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water. Rinse thoroughly.

Keep body temperature in check
Think of your most recent day in the sun. You likely incorporated a few cooling practices to maintain an adequate body temperature and avoid heat stress.

A consistent body temperature is equally important for backyard flocks.

If a bird’s body temperature climbs, it can cause a lasting strain. Create a cool and comfortable environment for the flock to enjoy.

To keep chickens comfortable:

  • Provide shade by placing roofs on the run or shade cloths over the door. Add misters outside of the chicken coop that spray onto the roof or shade cover for evaporative cooling.
  • Create adequate air flow inside the coop. Open all windows and roof vents to allow hot air and ammonia to escape. Add a small fan for air circulation.
  • Swap solid coop doors with screen doors and keep lights off during the day. Reduce bedding to two inches or less to avoid heat being trapped.
  • Provide a peat moss dust bath for backyard chickens to play in. If mites are a concern, switch to a mix of 90 percent peat moss, 10 percent diatomaceous earth.
  • Avoid overcrowding by providing at least 4 square feet of indoor space and 5-10 square feet of outdoor space per bird.

Indulge a bit, but keep a balance
It can be argued that fresh-from-the-garden fruits and vegetables, summertime snacks and potluck picnics are true summer highlights. But, no matter the treat, it’s important to maintain a balance.

A balanced diet is very important for our backyard poultry as well. Summer is the perfect time to spend in the backyard with the flock and give them a few indulgent snacks, but don’t forget the 90/10 rule: 90 percent complete feed and 10 percent treats or snacks.

To help keep the flock’s diet in balance:

  • Give fresh complete feed in the morning and evening in a shaded area, offering treats only after the flock has finished its complete feed.
  • Offer cold or frozen fruits and vegetables as a summertime treat.
  • Provide special treats such as Purina® Flock Block® or Purina® Scratch Grains as a complement to a complete feed. Treats formulated specifically for birds can provide beneficial nutrients while keeping birds active.
  • Offer free-choice grit if your flock is fed whole grains, seeds or other non-commercial feedstuffs. Purina® Chick or Poultry Gritcan be fed separately or mixed with your flock’s grain diet at a rate of 1 pound of grit per 20 pounds of feed.
  • Offer oyster shell to help maintain calcium intake and eggshell quality when birds may be eating less due to heat.
  • Provide at least six inches of feeder space per bird.

Summer heat tends to reduce feed intake, so the complete feed should be the first dietary priority. When birds have a balanced diet, plenty of water and a cool, comfortable environment, they are better able to remain healthy and productive and enjoy a fun and peaceful backyard summer.

By Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D. – Multi-Species Nutritionist – Purina Mills

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Treats & Snacks: Are They Good for My Hens?

Thursday, June 9th, 2016

One flock owner recently asked me about the diet of his laying hens. He’s feeding his flock a complete feed, and supplementing the complete feed with bread, porridge and meal-worms.

“I want to stop this habit (of feeding so many treats) as it’s expensive, but how?” he asked. My response to him – and to other flock raisers – is to follow a 90/10 rule for laying hens: 90% complete feed and 10% treats. Not only can this cut on costs, it helps us provide a balanced diet to our birds.

10% Treats
We recommend limiting the amount of treats we give our hens to 10 percent of the diet.This allows us to shift our focus to providing nutrients through a complete feed. Though treats are a fun addition to our flock, a complete feed provides the necessary nutrients our hens need to stay healthy and produce high-quality eggs.

I encourage flock owners to think of kitchen scraps and scratch grains as M&M’s for birds; fun to eat and a nice treat, but you wouldn’t want to make a meal of them. Similar to candy for us, kitchen scraps and scratch grains are not fortified with vitamins and minerals – key nutrients that laying hens require.

In fact, every time we provide unfortified feeds, we dilute the complete nutrition of the layer feed and the hens may actually receive less nutrition than they would if they just ate their complete feed. If we feed high levels of treats, the hens will likely eat more of them than their fortified feed, causing them to miss out on the nutrients they need.

Since we all know it is fun to feed treats, feel free to view these items as special goodies that our hens get in small amounts a few times a week – but be cautious to not overfeed.

90% Complete Feed
To help hens receive the nutrients they need, provide at least 90 percent of their diet through a complete feed formulated specifically for laying hens.

Hens require at least 38 different nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and energy. Many of these nutrient requirements increase as hens continue to lay eggs. Complete feeds are formulated to provide this balanced diet.
Let’s take a look at one of these 38 required nutrients: Calcium. If the hen is eating high levels of scratch grains or kitchen scraps, she won’t consume her daily allotment of complete feed. Without the complete feed levels she needs, she won’t have the calcium she requires to produce strong, high-quality eggshells. Instead, she will pull from her calcium reserves to produce eggs, potentially resulting in a weak skeletal structure.

Similar trends can be seen if the other essential nutrients are not provided in the proper levels. To meet the increased nutrient demands of egg production, choose a high-quality complete layer feed and ensure it is the primary part of the hen’s diet. A complete feed is formulated to provide all of the nutrients your bird requires for long-term health and nutritious eggs.

For hens 18 weeks and older, look for a complete feed that includes:

  • 16% (minimum) protein level
  • Lysine and methionine, essential amino acids
  • Calcium, manganese and trace minerals for strong shells
  • Fortified with vitamins, trace minerals and essential amino acids
  • Prebiotics and probiotics for hen health

A complete feed, like Purina® Layena® Premium Poultry Feed, can help hens receive the nutrients they require.  By choosing a complete layer feed, comprised of high-quality ingredients, and sticking to the 90/10 rule, we can help our hens stay happy, healthy and productive.

Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D. – Multi-Species Nutritionist – Purina Mills

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Baby Chicks & Guineas Are Here

Friday, March 11th, 2016

baby chicksBaby chicks & guineas are here at J&N Feed and Seed.

Baby Chicks and Guineas are available at J&N Feed & Seed. The baby chicks are mixed breed, pullets and sell for $2.50 each.

While you’re picking out your chicks, J&N Feed and Seed has everything you need to raise a happy flock! See us for all your poultry supplies: feed, heaters, feeders, waterers, bedding, fencing and more.

Start your chicks off right with our new Purina Organic Chicken Feed. Raising an organic flock has never been easier. To learn more about Purina Organic Chicken Feed click here.

 

 

 

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Purina Organic Chicken Feed

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016

Purina organic chicken feedPurina Organic Chicken Feed arrives at J&N Feed and Seed in February! If you’ve been thinking about making the switch to organic chicken farming, then you’ll love this new feed. Purina Organic Starter-Grower Premium Poultry is an ideal choice for raising your birds for organic eggs. Purina’s recipe is certified USDA Organic and contains no GMOs. This simple and complete formula contains no animal by-products, no fillers and no artificial preservatives.

Start your backyard flock with chicks and supplies from J&N Feed and Seed.  In addition to our new Purina Organic Chicken Feed, we’ve got feeders, waterers, heat lamps and much more!   We’re currently taking orders for chicks, so give us a call at (940) 549-4631 or stop by the store and place your order today.

Keep an eye on Facebook for Purina Organic Chick Feed, we’ll let you know when it’s here!

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Flocktober Win Prizes Free Coop Sign & More!

Wednesday, October 14th, 2015

Facebook-Post-Buy-Bag-Get-Sign-ImageAre your chicks growing? Once your chicks hit 18 weeks old or lay their first egg, its time to transition to Purina Layena poultry feed to sustain growth and promote egg production!

It’s Flocktober at J&N Feed and Seed! During Flocktober, get a FREE limited-edition coop sign, when you purchase a bag of Purina Layena or Layena Plus Omega-3,  40lb bags or larger!  While supplies last.

You can also register here for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes!

  • A topical vacation for two to Oyster Bay Beach Resort in St. Maarten
  • A pearl necklace from Tiffany and Co.
  • A year’s supply of Purina Layena Plus Omega-3 poultry feed
  • A free bag of Purina Layena feed

Stop by J&N Feed and Seed this Floctober for Purina Layena poultry feed and all your coop supplies.

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Baby Chicks Arrive March 19

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

chickdaysgraphicpurina-300x204.jpg

Baby chicks arrive at J&N Feed and Seed on Thursday, March 19th!

All baby chicks are pullets, 90% accuracy! We’ll have the following chick types:

  • Rhode Island Reds
  • Buff Orphingtons
  • Americanas

We will also be getting Guineas.

Remember, we have everything you need for your new flock including poultry feed, feeders, waterers, heat lamps, fencing and more!

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Tips to Prepare Your Chicken Coop

Sunday, February 22nd, 2015

ExtremeCapeCodChickenCoopTips To Prepare Your Chicken Coop

We are in the full swing of chick season. You might have even purchased your baby chicks and they grow fast. When your baby chicks are ready to leave your brooder, make sure you have your coop ready to go.Most chicks can be transferred to their coops as early as 4-5 weeks of age. If you have already purchased your baby chicks, it is imperative that your coop is ready to go as soon as possible. You will be shocked at how fast they feather and grow, and take up space! Here are some tips to ensure your chicken coop is adequately prepared:

  • Be predator-proof, not just from the sides, but from above and below as well. Predators that would love chicken wings for dinner include but are not limited to raccoons, foxes, wolves, coyotes and hawks.
  • Be secure from nasty rodents (yes, rats!) that will be attracted to the feed and droppings. Rodents are burrowing creatures, so you need to block them from slipping into the coop from below. If you coop doesn’t have a floor, you need to bury small-mesh fencing down into the ground about 12″ all around the coop.
  • Be breezy enough to prevent respiratory diseases, to which chickens are especially prone, but not so drafty during winter that they freeze their tushes off. Chickens can withstand the cold so long as it’s not drafty!
  • Be easy to clean so bugs and bacteria don’t fester.
  • Provide “roosting poles” for your girls to sleep on (2″ wide; rounded edges; allot 5-10″ of space per bird side to side and 10″ between poles if more than one is necessary; plus ladder-like grading so the pole furthest away is several inches higher than the closest).
  • Encourage egg-laying with 1 nest box for every four or five chickens. Nest boxes should be raised off the ground at least a few inches, but lower than the lowest roosting pole. They should also be dark and “out of the way” to cater to the hen’s instinct to lay her eggs in a safe, place.
  • Be roomy: at least 4 square feet per bird if birds are able to roam freely during the day, and at least 10 square feet per bird if they are permanently confined.
  • Accommodate a feeder and waterer, which should hang 6-8″ off the ground.
  • Include a removable “droppings tray” under roosting poles for capture and easy disposal of droppings. (Or should we say for easy access to your lawn fertilizer?)
  • Similar to the coop, the sides of the attached chicken run, if you have one, should be buried 12″ into the soil to keep predators and rodents from digging their way in. Once again, we recommend chicken wire fencing or half-inch hardware cloth. It’s also our strong recommendation that you secure the top of the run with aviary netting or deer netting. This will keep wild birds (which can carry communicable diseases) out and provide further defense against sly predators.

Come see us and pick up everything you need from waterers, bulbs, heat lamps and more.
Source: My Pet Chicken

 

 

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Feeding Chickens For Optimum Egg Production

Friday, July 18th, 2014

Layena_PackagesAt about four and a half months, you’re probably anxiously awaiting the “fruits of your labors”, fresh eggs! Now is the time to introduce your laying pullets to Purina Layena or Purina Layena Plus Omega-3 to insure that they receive the best nutrition to support egg production. Purina Layena Plus Omega-3 has added flaxseed, which helps your chickens to produce with enhanced levels of Omega-3. Each egg will contain 300 percent more Omega-3, an essential fatty acid!

  • Gradually transition your laying pullets over to Purina Layena or Purina Layena Plus Omega-3 over a 7- to 10-day period.
  • Continue to provide birds with a maximum of 17 to 18 hours of light per day to ensure optimum egg production.
  • Purina Layena Plus Omega-3 can be purchased as a pellet, and Purina Layena can be purchased as a pellet or crumble. Both forms contain high quality grains with added vitamins and minerals for a complete and balanced diet. In pelleted form, it is just that, a pellet.  Crumbles are simply pellets that are broken apart into smaller bits, which make it easier to eat.
  • Optimum egg production is achieved when layers are maintained in temperatures between 65°F and 85°F.  As temperatures increase above this, egg size and production may decrease. Keep your birds cool and comfortable so you will get the best return on your investment!

Source: Purina Poultry

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