emergency chick feed - waddya think?

[earthnut]

So I was unable to get starter feed for my chicks in time (still have yet to get it - plan to get it tomorrow). After 3 40-mile round trips to the feed store, they tell me they don't carry it at this time of year. First they gave me layer feed, then they were closed early, then they tell me... At least I returned the layer feed.

I think I read somewhere that hard boiled eggs worked as an emergency feed, and that to mix feed with some scratch to prevent pasty butt. So since one of the chicks had pasty butt, I mixed some hard boiled egg yolks with ground corn and oats. They seem to love it!

What have others used in a pinch? Also, if for some reason I can't get starter feed locally, I was thinking of getting developer and adding some dried milk to it to up the protein. Think that would work?

Here's a pic of the brooder with the egg yolk feed:

 

[skeeter]

we always used oatmeal dry just crumble it up real fine,and i even used some corn meal,dont know it was bad for them but it didnt seem to hurt them any

 

[lyndatu]

Oh, I didn't know you can make your own feed! Thanks for the idea! I think it's great! Your chicks like it! I also read something about using canola seeds, although I can't remember much........

Good feed!

 

[chickenlady]

Walmart now carries small bags of medicated chick starter. Mine has it on the top shelp with the livestock items in the pet dept. Ours just started to carry it about a month ago. They also started carrying some meds too.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You'd think the Wal-Mart in this area would do that but it doesn't.

I've used ground up catfood (I know there are people of other opinions), it was just for a night and I had been adding grit sand (sold at Wal-Mart with the bird supplies) to their food. If you can grind up some black-oil sunflower seeds that will help add some additional protien to the food.

 

[crysmom]

My Grandma is pretty old school and just uses egg yolks and ground up oatmeal and corn for her chicks

but also these are chicks that free range and are outside so I'm sure they are eating insects really early and have mama hen to help them

 

[earthnut]

Quote:
that's so cool. it's hard to find information about how people did these things before incubators and store feed, and I'm so psyched that she did just what I'm doing! (at least feed-wise...)

And, unfortunately, the closest Wal-Mart is about the same distance from me as the feed store, and I doubt they'd have it anyway. One sucky thing about being in a large city.