chicks being fed cornmeal-help!!!

[YoungChickenFan93]

The chicks in my class are being fed cornmeal and rolled oats. I thought that they should be fed chick starter feed...the secondary teacher said today that they are underweight and malnourished, but not enough that they look unhealthy. What can I do to help get some nourishment in them until i can go to TSC to get some chick starter feed. Is there anything else i can give them to help them get extra nourishment since they haven't been getting any? Please help me and my chicks!!

 

[Tala]

How long have they been on the crappy diet??

You could get some of that Poly vi Sol stuff (no iron) to add to their water (but I've never done it, just read about it many times on the emergency forum)

I've raised plenty of chicks on mixed starter and cornmeal, and given rolled oats for treats, but I also provide GRIT with the oats!!! Maybe you could sprinkle some sand on their food to help their digestion!!!!!!!!

 

[YoungChickenFan93]

They are about a week old, and have been fed that since they hatched

 

[Kittymomma]

scrambled egg is a good protien source. I'm a bit worried about them not having any grit though since they're not on chick starter.

ETA: Ooops Tala already mentioned that.

 

[speckledhen]

Give them some chopped up scrambled eggs for protein. They need starter ASAP!

 

[chickerdoodle]

Add hard boiled or scrambled eggs--they have lots of nutrition until you get the chick stater.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Not only that, whatever teacher is responsible for the hatching needs to be guided to BYC for the proper way to raise chicks.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Not only that, whatever teacher is responsible for the hatching needs to be guided to BYC for the proper way to raise chicks.

Truer words...

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Some scrambled eggs and dark green leafy vegetables (about 4:1) finely chopped will do them well until they can get some starter. Chicks like rolled oats, plain corn meal is a bit finely ground for them to easily eat. The eggs, greens, oats, and meal together makes a pretty fair chick starter in itself.

.....Alan.

 

[speckledhen]

They must have grit or their crops will become impacted on a grain diet like that.