combining w/ flock

[BelleInBoots]

hey guys!
im integrating my 18 chicks with my adult hens next wk. they will be 8 weeks old. I was told this was the magic number, lol. but I am trying to figure out how to feed them. the chicks will still need starter, right, and the hens layer pellets so how do you guys handle feeding in this situation? I typically feed my adults a cpl times a day on the ground or the goats will get into it. and currently the chicks are in the chicken tractor with their free choice starter. Im sure the hens would gobble up the starter if i let them around it but i cant separate them and feed them a cpl. times a day because the chicks will still need food free choice at this point, even on pasture im sure, right? any tips? thanks for your thoughts!

Christie

 

[Judy]

Feed the whole flock what the chicks are eating, and put out a small bowl of oyster shell separately. The chicks will ignore, or mostlu ignore, the oyster shell.

Some people. often more experienced chicken keeers, never purchase layer feed, partly so they don't have to worry about yound chicks and artly so their roosters never get an excess of calcium. They generally feel a flock raiser or game bird feed of the prepared mixes.

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36

 

[BelleInBoots]

thanks, i read over that, very informative.

at what age should i switch the flock from the starter to a flock grower feed? when the pullets start laying? also is there a way to safetly limit the feed at some point, providing it morning and night for instance, or does it really have to be available around the clock when there on pasture? I am still trying to figure out a better solution to my feeding problems with the dairy goats...

 

[chicksurreal]

Feed the whole flock what the chicks are eating, and put out a small bowl of oyster shell separately. The chicks will ignore, or mostlu ignore, the oyster shell.

Some people. often more experienced chicken keeers, never purchase layer feed, partly so they don't have to worry about yound chicks and artly so their roosters never get an excess of calcium. They generally feel a flock raiser or game bird feed of the prepared mixes.

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36

This.

We feed everyone grower/raiser feed and add bowls of oyster shell for the girls who are laying. They are the only ones I've ever seen eating it.

We started feeding the grower to everybody at about 18 weeks old. The chicks were kept separate until that time, but if you need to integrate before then, I would feed the starter to everybody with the addition of oyster shell in a separate dish for the big girls.

We free feed our chickens even though they are free range most of the day. They generally don't go in to eat it except for morning and evening, but we don't have goats. Can you put the feed in a spot the goats can't reach but the chickens have access to?

 

[BelleInBoots]

thanks thats helpful. im not sure where i could put it at this point that the goats cant reach it, thats my problem. as my little one is a 4 month old mini who has even been know to spend the night up in the top of the chicken tractor. lol. We have plans for a barn that would have a separate room for the chickens and an elevated small door/opening that only they could fit though but it may be a little while, so right now i have to improvise. I have started feeding my animals fodder as a supplement and i know some people feed this exclusively which would solve my problem but I dont feel like I have enough information about whether that would really be a balanced diet for them and i dont want to endanger their health.

 

[chicksurreal]

thanks thats helpful. im not sure where i could put it at this point that the goats cant reach it, thats my problem. as my little one is a 4 month old mini who has even been know to spend the night up in the top of the chicken tractor. lol. We have plans for a barn that would have a separate room for the chickens and an elevated small door/opening that only they could fit though but it may be a little while, so right now i have to improvise. I have started feeding my animals fodder as a supplement and i know some people feed this exclusively which would solve my problem but I dont feel like I have enough information about whether that would really be a balanced diet for them and i dont want to endanger their health.

How cute! I've seen mini's and I WANT one (or three)! Lol!

We don't feed fodder at this point, but it's something I'm considering for the winter as a supplemental feed, I don't know enough about it to know if it's a balanced diet on it's own either.

My MIL has lots of goats and I know they will eat anything they can get access to, so it sounds like you have a challenge on your hands, trying to keep the chicken feed for the chickens may be a battle!

 

[BelleInBoots]

Lol yeah its true. They've gotten a few nibble fulls and love it so is a battle. I'll be looking into my options some more but thank you for the pointers in the mean time. Too bad I still have almost a whole bag of layer feed left, lol.