Treats for chicks and other food questions.

[NatJ]

Nothing harmful using adult grit at 5 weeks then?

Either the pieces are too big and the chicks ignore them until they grow, or the pieces are an acceptable size and the chicks eat them. Either way, the chicks are not in any danger.

Most likely, the chicks pick through the grit you give them, throw most of it on the floor, and eat a few bits that are the right size. As they get bigger, they choose somewhat bigger pieces, but even then they may have personal preferences about what size or shape they want.

The smallest pieces of grit usually fall to the bottom of the package. So if you open the bag from the bottom, or dump it all into a container, you can give your chicks the small pieces from the bottom now, and the bigger pieces are mostly left for later. You can even dump the grit into a bowl or bucket, scoop some from the bottom for the chicks, and dump the rest back into the original bag if you want to store it there. It's not a big deal, just something you can do if you want to. You can just scoop from the top of the bag, and you will still get a mix of sizes, just with a few more big pieces and a few less little pieces.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Either the pieces are too big and the chicks ignore them until they grow, or the pieces are an acceptable size and the chicks eat them. Either way, the chicks are not in any danger.

Most likely, the chicks pick through the grit you give them, throw most of it on the floor, and eat a few bits that are the right size. As they get bigger, they choose somewhat bigger pieces, but even then they may have personal preferences about what size or shape they want.

The smallest pieces of grit usually fall to the bottom of the package. So if you open the bag from the bottom, or dump it all into a container, you can give your chicks the small pieces from the bottom now, and the bigger pieces are mostly left for later. You can even dump the grit into a bowl or bucket, scoop some from the bottom for the chicks, and dump the rest back into the original bag if you want to store it there. It's not a big deal, just something you can do if you want to. You can just scoop from the top of the bag, and you will still get a mix of sizes, just with a few more big pieces and a few less little pieces.

Thanks so much. It’s nice learning these things!

 

[Insnesnakos]

I think they'll love it.

For my last batch of chicks, I'd sit by the brooder with my feet in there. They were scared at first, but then realized that "momma jungle gym" was fun.

When reaching for them, always reach from the side, never from above. They are instinctively afraid of predators coming at them from above. I started by stroking their wings very gently, saying, "safe with momma" when they'd eat mash snack from my hand.

Did the brooder have a hole cut into the side where you could slide in your hand to feed them? Or something else? I'd like to try this with my next baby chickens. Not this year though

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I believe @azygous once recommended to me to give young chicks a small clump of grass with soil to serve the purpose of grit and introduction to local soil pathogens (coccidia). It is fun for them to explore it.
I sprinkle a little chick grit after a week then the grass/soil clump by 1.5 weeks. No reason for the timeline here, just what I do.

 

[Shankster]

These are NOT dumb questions. We were all newbies at one point. It shows that you're thinking ahead and planning.

Here's the reason behind the all flock feed ("flock raiser" or "flock maker" are other terms for essentially the same thing).

Look at the protein levels in a layer feed, any brand. The information is printed on the bag, or an attached tag. It's probably 16%. It also has 3-4% (+/-) calcium. The calcium is necessary for laying pullets/hens to make eggshells, and you won't have to put out a dish of any calcium supplement. Easy.

The 16% protein is what commercial egg producers have found is the BARE MINIMUM they can feed high production laying chickens. At their scale, fractions of a percentage add up to big money, so they cut it down to the minimum.

In a commercial flock, the goal is maximum eggs, minimum effort (labor costs money), and the birds will be processed into something else (animal feed? soup?) at around 18 months, when their best laying days are behind them.

Look at a flock raiser/all flock feed. The protein level is probably 20%, but the calcium level is around 1-1.5%. This is enough calcium for non-laying birds, either too young to lay, or cockerels/roosters. If you use this kind of feed, you need to put out a source of calcium for the layers. Oyster shell and crushed egg shells are commonly used. If they aren't laying yet, they'll ignore it, and the boys will leave it alone.

The higher protein in the all flock feed means a higher price. Protein is the most expensive ingredient.

I'm not going to address the quality of the protein and the amino acids; that's another topic. A lot (most?) people here feed an all flock type of feed for the better protein and put a dish of calcium out for the birds that need it.

When I've had chicks, I buy a bag of "chick starter" and when they're done with that, usually around 6-8 weeks, I transition them to all flock.

This was so informational. I got a bag of layer feed for my 10 week chickens and after reading this went and got the All Flock/Flock Raiser feed. I will save the layer feed until they are laying and use that up and then stick with the All Flock with separate calcium. Thanks for the mentoring @Sally PB

 

[Sally PB]

You're welcome!

Nobody was born knowing this stuff, and we all had to learn.