Feeding chicks

[two j farm]

I have 4 bloody hens one just hatched chicks last nite now my problem is. How do I feed the chick without all of the grown chickens eating the feed? I have had chicks in with the chickens before and i just let them eat it, but now I have 25 chicks I hatched plus the chicks they are hatching. Chick starter here is $23 a bag and don't want them eating it all up. If anyone has any ideas please post or if someone has made a feed for this please post pic. Thanks

 

[junebuggena]

The only feed that isn't safe for all ages and stages is layer feed. Layer feed is for actively laying birds only. The high levels of calcium in layer feed is fatal to very young chicks and can cause kidney damage if fed long term to non laying birds.
The simplest way to feed a flock with males, females, and multiple ages is to feed unmedicated starter or flock raiser and set out some crushed oyster shell separately for the layers.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The simplest way is to feed the whole flock one diet..... its a temporary expense. Barring that you will need to raise the layer out of reach for the young bird (this becomes more difficult as they grow and become more able thto o jump, climb, etc) and use a "creep feeder" to restrict large birds from reaching the starter feed. Or, house the broody and her brood separately so that only one adult is eating the starter vs the whole flock

 

[two j farm]

Thanks I feed ff to the grown chickens so I can keep the chicks out of the feed for them. There's never any feed out that the chicks could eat other then scratch. I'm thinking about making something the chicks can go under but the big ones can't

 

[rosemarythyme]

That makes sense, if you have the chick feed set up in some sort of enclosure where there's a small opening or gap that only the chicks can fit in, they'll be able to freely access their feed without the big ones getting in. Works going the opposite way for integration as well!

 

[lazy gardener]

And, they will most likely prefer their starter b/c it's higher protein.

 

[two j farm]

Looks like it will be a weekend project. I will post pic if I can make something that will work. Thanks