Feeding Different Aged Birds

[Blooie]

Are those young chicks with a hen to keep them warm? That wouldn't work when incubating which I haven't done yet but will be.

Your life and chicks' sounds blissfully simple! Enjoy!

No. The only mom they have is their Mama Heating Pad. She’s there, in one spot, and if they need a warmup or if they get spooked, they pop right underneath. And I put chicks home hatched in our incubator, shipped from hatcheries, or picked up from feed stores, right outside. The brooder is a wire pen right out in the run with the adults. I’ve only raised one batch of chicks “by the book” - in the house under a heat lamp - and I’ll never do it again. The next 8 batches over the years were raised outside from the start and they have all thrived. Mama Heating Pad is as close to a broody hen as humanly possible. It’s soft, it’s dark underneath, and they regulate their own needs just as they would if raised with a broody hen. The only difference is that she doesn’t move!

Their lives and mine are indeed simple, and there’s no chaos with the adults when I integrate.

 

[JennsHensOz]

L

Yep, same for me. Only a buck or two cheaper, but since it simplifies things, it's worth even more!

Lucky you! I think I'll use chick starter + separate shell grit for the different aged pen and the feather plucking hen in the hope of breaking the habit but keep the other 17 on Layer as it's slightly cheaper.

 

[Debby R]

Feed them all starter grower until the youngsters are 18 weeks then switch to layer. Put out oyster shell when the oldest are 18 weeks and they will eat it as they need it for egg shell production. The calcium in layer feed is bad for the baby kidneys. The older birds will eat oyster shell as they need it but the youngsters won't. It's okay to eat eggs from chickens eating medicated starter feed. It's NOT okay to feed chicks under 18 weeks adult layer feed.

 

[Naser]

I feed my laying hens layers pellets and they have chick starter in another feeder, they eat both, I have oyster shell available to them 24/7. Works fine for them

 

[JennsHensOz]

Feed them all starter grower until the youngsters are 18 weeks then switch to layer. Put out oyster shell when the oldest are 18 weeks and they will eat it as they need it for egg shell production. The calcium in layer feed is bad for the baby kidneys. The older birds will eat oyster shell as they need it but the youngsters won't. It's okay to eat eggs from chickens eating medicated starter feed. It's NOT okay to feed chicks under 18 weeks adult layer feed.

Feed them all starter grower until the youngsters are 18 weeks then switch to layer. Put out oyster shell when the oldest are 18 weeks and they will eat it as they need it for egg shell production. The calcium in layer feed is bad for the baby kidneys. The older birds will eat oyster shell as they need it but the youngsters won't. It's okay to eat eggs from chickens eating medicated starter feed. It's NOT okay to feed chicks under 18 weeks adult layer feed.

Got it and doing it! Many thanks