Feeding a broody and her brood...

[MaineChickens]

Ok, so I have a cochin sitting right now and I have put her in her own little broody pen with all the comforts of home (nest, food, water, shavings, eggs) and I don't know what I should feed once the chicks arrive. Normally I would feed medicated chick starter, but I don't know if that is good for an adult bird since I am sure she'll eat it too. I have some non-medicated chick -n- gamebird starter that blue seal makes....

Right now, she is having snacks, scratch, layer pellets... but I know pellets aren't going to be OK when the peeps arrive.

Nothing I have read about broodies addressed this...

Help!

 

[jadell]

The chick starter will be fine. It's higher in protein than her laying pellets, and of course it doesn't have the extra nutrients the pellets have. Laying more eggs will be the least of her worries once the babies hatch out. My broody momma has been doing just fine eating her little babies food. I hope they all hatch out! I had two I don't think made it. They looked good the whole time, but today is day 22 and nothing. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a couple more days though. Good luck with it!

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

she can eat chick starter but will need
oyster shell I would add 1/2 tsp to 1 qt of water for her and chicks
it will help her digest the calcium of the OYSTER SHELL you will provide for her in seperate feeder
she needs calcium and vit D from oyster shell and feed
she will do fine as she can use the added protein to rebuild her body since setting so long on eggs
they some times lose weight
she probably won't go back to laying eggs till the chicks are grown any way

 

[Mahonri]

I smiled this afternoon when I saw a feral game hen with 7 little chicks walking across the road to the south of us. She was a wheaten game and had multicolored chicks so maybe another hen laid in her nest.

 

[Biddieacres]

I had this same question. So it is ok for Mom to eat Medicated Chick starter?