Yes that seems to be the thing to use these days. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed that chickens cover their feet just as well when perched on a tree limb
I'd suggest a 20% feed like flock raiser to bring them to maximum healthy weight.
At that age RSL are probably not laying much anymore. RSL are a production egg breed and are not genetically designed to grow heavy thighs and breasts. They will never fill out like a quality dual purpose or...
I use it too so I'm not disagreeing. I don't use it as a complete feed because I'd prefer my birds get more from free ranging. Free ranging birds that fill their crop with bugs and grasses & standing green millet, barley, alfalfa and wheat are much healthier than those that I once kept penned...
Here is something I think you might be missing...the USPS works on weekends and all the sorting facilities are manned. I have received calls that chicks were ready for pickup on a Sunday evening. My postman in his woolen socks, Birkenstocks and Boonie Hat might not be walking the beat but the...
Those risks are ever present 7 days a week. If you have to be 100% sure they're comfortable and safe then order eggs to hatch because chicks are under lots of stress even when shipped under ideal conditions.
That's the point. Timing the shipment and paying much more for shipped chicks wouldn't be cool if something went wrong...there are plenty of opportunities for something to go wrong. I'd say if you haven't had a bad experience then you haven't done it as much as I have
Who knows the nature...
Don't order chicks to put under a hen. The chances of the hen accepting them are decent if you do it at night but the chances of the chicks taking to the mother are slim to none at that age.