I switched from layer pellets to all flock raiser and finisher/grower with free choice oyster shell because I now have a bunch of roos and i didn't want them eating all of that extra calcium. My chicks are on the all flock crumbles with momma. I read that it was ok...i hope so...there is so much conflicting info out there.
Something that helped me feed the chicks baby food without all the big birds eating it up, was to stack about 3 or 4 pallets and dump the baby starter crumbles on the ground in the center of the pallets. Just stack them so you have a clear shot at the ground under them and dump the baby food in. The pallets also act as a Biddy Fortress that they can escape any big birds if needed so they get to eat in peace.
I would like to see a pic of that. I have access to lots of pallets this chick nursery had a flat roof on it that my dad put together years ago and I actually raised my first flock in it. Nightmare!! It held 4 to 5 inches of water the roof leaked the water run in on both sides because he only had the tin cut right to the walls. So I brought in sand and put a tarp over it and made a pitch on the tarp roof and luckily it fixed the problem long enough until I could move them to the big coop and allow them to free range. It was also a nightmare to get the food and water in because I couldn’t fit inside. I had to put everything in thru a small opening in the roof. I had attach a daytime run to the gate which closed off the entryway. So now I will be able to enter hunched over but at least I can get in. I’m also going to have a entry way for the chicks to enter the run when I reattach it.Something that helped me feed the chicks baby food without all the big birds eating it up, was to stack about 3 or 4 pallets and dump the baby starter crumbles on the ground in the center of the pallets. Just stack them so you have a clear shot at the ground under them and dump the baby food in. The pallets also act as a Biddy Fortress that they can escape any big birds if needed so they get to eat in peace.
I got the idea from an old 1940s wooden brooder/heater a neighbor had. Take one sheet of plywood and cut it into 2 - 48" square pieces. Then cut one of the halves into 12x48" pieces for the sides. Cut 3 little 3x4" door openings into each of the sides for ventilation and so the babies can get in and out. In the 48"square top, cut 3 - 6" holes, one in the center, then one on each side between the center hole and the outside walls. You put heat lamps over these outside holes and use the center hole to pour feed in. If you have it in a pen with adult birds you may have to make a cover for the feed hole. As the babies get bigger and need less heat, you can put bricks/blocks under the box to jack it up. Cheap, simple and effective.
Something that helped me feed the chicks baby food without all the big birds eating it up, was to stack about 3 or 4 pallets and dump the baby starter crumbles on the ground in the center of the pallets. Just stack them so you have a clear shot at the ground under them and dump the baby food in. The pallets also act as a Biddy Fortress that they can escape any big birds if needed so they get to eat in peace.
I got the idea from an old 1940s wooden brooder/heater a neighbor had. Take one sheet of plywood and cut it into 2 - 48" square pieces. Then cut one of the halves into 12x48" pieces for the sides. Cut 3 little 3x4" door openings into each of the sides for ventilation and so the babies can get in and out. In the 48"square top, cut 3 - 6" holes, one in the center, then one on each side between the center hole and the outside walls. You put heat lamps over these outside holes and use the center hole to pour feed in. If you have it in a pen with adult birds you may have to make a cover for the feed hole. As the babies get bigger and need less heat, you can put bricks/blocks under the box to jack it up. Cheap, simple and effective.
