Feeding chicks without chick feed

[FreeRangers4Me]

I was wondering what people fed chicks before commercial chick feed was available? I'm not looking to replace my chick feed, I just wanted to know how people did that. I know they had incubators made from wood and heated them with oil lamps. So they had chicks not raised by the hen. Anyone know? Thanks!

 

[chicks are life]

I'm guessing natural homegrown garins or somethin

 

[centrarchid]

Free-range foraging supplemented with the following ground ingredients; corn, wheat, milo, and fish meal. Some boiled egg could also be used. All locally produced and harvested. My grandfather did not start chick rearing until spring so birds could be outside. When I tried similar as a kid with a hen that hatched in January, chick growth was slow. We cheated by having birds kept in barn loft with lots of old alfalfa hay.

Ingredients used would vary regionally. Soybeans where not yet available in my grandfathers time. The rearing chicks was much more demanding then.

 

[centrarchid]

I would like to know is what Romans, and people of the Indus valley did prior to chickens moving up into Persia..

 

[FreeRangers4Me]

I would like to know is what Romans, and people of the Indus valley did prior to chickens moving up into Persia..

And how did the Araucana get to S America? So much we don't know about our own past.

 

[centrarchid]

I still think Polynesians did it. Evidence offered to refudiate it not strong enough.

 

[FreeRangers4Me]

Ya I don't buy that they came over with the conquistadors.