Nutrition—layer pellets and chicks.

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I have four chicks who were on good chick starter for about the first 2 months (it may have been a little longer than that) of their life but then I ran out and the two closest feed stores to me don’t sell all flock and so I just let them eat the 22 percent protein layer pellets with the big ones. The kicker is that my chicks are sort of 100 percent free range because they can fit through gaps in the run and they come and go as they please into my yards and woods and compost pile. So on a scale from 1-10 how big of a deal is this? I know if they were only getting feed they don’t need layer pellets and when I go back to town I’ll be getting all flock but for 6-8 weeks is it a problem since these layer pellets have plenty of protein and they supplement with as much free range stuff as they want?

 

[WIchickMama]

the biggest concern with layer pellets for chicks is the amount of certain nutrients that can harm a chick-one of them being the calcium. I guess if it short term (whatever that is defined as for you) and they free range they might be ok. I guess I would get the all flock as soon as you can. I would be more worried about them free ranging so young but each person does their flock the way that works best for them.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

the biggest concern with layer pellets for chicks is the amount of certain nutrients that can harm a chick-one of them being the calcium. I guess if it short term (whatever that is defined as for you) and they free range they might be ok. I guess I would get the all flock as soon as you can. I would be more worried about them free ranging so young but each person does their flock the way that works best for them.

I was worried about that first with the last batch of chicks but but started exiting the run around 1 week and we didn’t lose a single one of them. Same with this batch too. They stay within 25 yards of the run where the big birds are and can get back quick but that’s enough space they get in the woods and compost pile so it seems to work. They are super close to being too big to fit through the crack but I know if I do this year after year I’ll eventually lose one or several.