Chickens aren’t eating chicken feed

[NatJ]

Where can I buy chick feed today? I could order it from amazon, but I want it today.

Tractor Supply Company
Rural King
Any other place that sells livestock feed

Walmart (I don't know if it's all Walmarts or just some)
Some pet stores

If you don't see chick starter, start reading labels. You are looking for protein of at least 18% and calcium no higher than about 1% (1 point something is fine). Other than that, it should be labeled as a "complete feed" (feeding directions say to provide it free choice, plus water. They may say to provide grit and/or free-choice calcium, or they may not mention those.)

Appropriate feeds might be labeled chick starter, or chick grower, or all-flock feed, or flock-raiser feed. Meat bird feed or broiler feed should also work. Or a duck starter, or a turkey/gamebird starter (that one has more protein than they really need, but not a dangerously high level. Up to about 30% protein is safe enough, but there's no point in paying extra money for protein higher than 20% if you have a choice of protein levels and cost.)


If you cannot get something suitable today, scrambled eggs + bread is not too bad for a few days. At least that provides good protein plus a source of calories for energy. Letting them eat grass, and maybe whatever scraps of vegetables and fruits and meat/fish ou have handy, can help a bit with vitamins & minerals, but a balanced chick starter is definitely faster & easier as a long-term solution.

 

[NatJ]

Why are there bits and pieces of aluminum foil in the brooding area?!?

I’m going to clean this out today. Ridiculous.

I don't know if it's just trash that got in there, or if someone was trying to make it warmer or more weatherproof and the chickens pulled it apart. Either way, I would take the foil out.

 

[Baruch]

I don't know if it's just trash that got in there, or if someone was trying to make it warmer or more weatherproof and the chickens pulled it apart. Either way, I would take the foil out.

I asked my cousin, and he said he tried using it to make cleaning easier.

I told him, and he understands.

I deep cleaned the coop with a vacuum and hose. No more foil.

Should I replace the bedding? Or can I just line it with newspaper?

 

[NatJ]

Should I replace the bedding? Or can I just line it with newspaper?

Lining with newspaper would probably work. The chickens may tear up the newspaper, or they may not.

Newspaper is not a good choice for very young chicks, because their feet and slide and their hip joints get injured (spraddle legs). With the age the chicks are now, I think they are past the danger point for that, so it's just something to remember if you ever deal with really young chicks (first week or two.)

 

[TooCheep]

Newspaper will definitely get torn up. It will work, but I recommend you get pine shavings (not cedar shavings). You can get it at the farm store, but they are also commonly available at most places with pet supplies (Walmart, etc) and are cheap.

PS- I recommend you get a cheap kitty litter scoop with slots in it. That will allow you to scoop out chicken poo from the shavings and not let it pile up and have to do 100% bedding replacements.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Why are there bits and pieces of aluminum foil in the brooding area?!?

They probably found pieces around the yard and brought them into their coop.

I’m letting the chickens roam free under supervision.

That is good, but once those chickens are adults, even that coop at night wouldn't be enough space for one full grown chicken. Definitely not a rooster, they can get 2× the size of a hen.

 

[GlicksChicks]

A lot of new chicken owners get caught in that trap. Manufacturers of retail coops lie, lie, lie about their capacity. They use factory farm numbers to justify their capacity numbers.

I definitely prefer buying coops in person or building my own. Any coop I have owned has been hand built, but I know that not everyone has that time.

When you see things online with dimensions, they can get easily distorted, as well as pictures. More times than not you will se epictures of products edited into a picture to make them look better.

 

[Baruch]

I have this bedding that I used when my sun conure was a chick. Says it’s corn based. I wonder if this could work for now.

How long are the chicks supposed to be on chick feed?

Do you guys know the type of breed these chickens are? Just curious.

 

[Baruch]

Also, when will these chicks be considered adults? I think they are currently about 2 months old.

 

[TooCheep]

That bedding may be hard on their feet. The animals pictured don't walk on it. The parrot would spend most of it's time on perches and the rabbits/chinchilla would most likely have a wire floor and the dropping go down into the bedding pellets.

Chickens are generally considered adults at 1 year, but the female will probably start laying somewhere in the 4-6 month range.

As for breeds, my initial thought is Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Buff Orpington, but I'm definitely not 100% sure.