broody hen with chicks..... input/ advice needed please

[Me & Jack]

Very good idea to hang the black curtain. So sorry about the baby. Poor little thing.

 

[bloom chicks]

We were in the coop. It is huge green house 12x24 with a door. It has a roof on it. It flew in the coop to the back of my coop with me sitting there with the babies. I tried to put pictures on here put for some reason it won't let me up load them. It is only certain pictures from same camera.

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
Only if it is medicated starter.

Eating a little bit of layer feed won't hurt chicks.

bloom chicks - I'm so sorry about your chick. It's amazing that a hawk would fly into the coop, especially when you were in there too! It must have been pretty desparate for food.

I don't understand claudicles post and am concerned because I have a broody sitting on eggs due to hatch on the 19th. This is my first broody and first hatch, so I need advice too. I hope I'm not hijacking your thread bloom chicks! I'm sorry, I just need to understand because I'm going to have medicated chick starter in the dog crate with Mama and the chicks. Are you saying she will get cocci from eating the medicated chick starter?

 

[Ole rooster]

If her mama is like mine the layer feed feeding height is not the issue, mama slings it out with the side of her beak and the chicks get it off the ground. She makes a real mess.

 

[glucke]

i'm so sorry for your loss!

to much calcium isn't good for the chicks because it can ruin their kidneys.

maybe you can feed starter feed to all your flock? offer some oyster shells on the side(as source of calcium) for the layers.

 

[bloom chicks]

Quote:
Yes, you are correct,

the mama goes to the layers feeder to gets the food for the babies!

 

[bloom chicks]

Quote:
Thank you! So the chick feed won't hurt my layers? I put out the shells out for them!

 

[glucke]

Quote:
Thank you! So the chick feed won't hurt my layers? I put out the shells out for them!

No it won´t hurt your layers! the only difference in most starters and layers is the amount of calcium. but if you feed MEDICATED starter to your layers; it contains amprolium(drug that protects the babies from coccidiosis) there is a possibility that your eggs will contain residues of that drug. so you´ll have to decide if you want to eat those eggs. amprolium is not dangerous unless you are allergic. if you don´t want to eat it; there is still unmedicated starter.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I usually expect some protection by roosters against hawk but not all do their job. If not effective defense by rooster, then denying hawk access by covering run will work. I would use the deer netting since cheap. It may not stop hawk froom entering but may make escape very difficult and force hawk to rethink cost of snagging a chick. If you have quality food and water for chicks, then you can confine them more making defense provided by your construction efforts easier.

 

[suzeqf]

I keep my broody and chicks in a large dog kennel inside the coop until the chicks until the chicks are 4-6 weeks old so I can keep them on chick starter and my broody's like it too and around 2 weeks old I start letting mom out and at 4 weeks I let them out for a little bit with mom but I always put them up at night in their kennel and at 6 weeks old I let them stay out during the day put put up at night and at 8 weeks old they are free to chose the kennel or to roost.