Feeding Chicks????????

[olgreenie]

I am confused on the matter of feeding chicks that are being raised by a "mama hen". If a hen goes broody and has a flock of chicks do you have to provide them with chick starter crumbles? My hens are free range for about 3 hours daily and are provided with layer pellets and oyster shel and of course clean water. I know that the chicks cannot eat the layer pellets because of its size. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

You can feed them chick starter and offer oyster shell on the side for the hens since they need the added calcium to produce good eggs.

 

[five is my dog]

you should make sure the chicks dont eat the layer feed ( they will still it eat even though it is big) the extra protein can kill them

 

[Mrs. K]

just feed the chick starter to everything, and oyster shell on the side..... only the layers will eat the oyster shell if they need the calcium.

 

[donrae]

It's not the size of the layer feed, it's the additional calcium that can harm the chicks. They can break up larger pieces of feed fairly well. I do kind of as Mrs. K said, but I feed an all-in-one feed to everyone---new chicks to layers to roosters. I toss a handful of oyster shell in the run when I think of it. The chicks will taste the oyster shell sometimes, but they won't eat it. The layers will eat what they need.