Feeding ??

[nuttyredhead]

My chicks are 11 weeks old (yeah!!!). They are out in there run all day, i make sure there feeders are stocked when i bring them in and also give them a handful of cracked corn and chicken scratch. Is that too much snacks? I usually give the treats to help get them in the coop at night. (i also gave them some corn on the cob and watermelon yesterday, was picked clean!).

I dont want fat chickens!!!!

 

[PhilErvin]

Quote:
If you are having to bribe them into the coop at night you need to teach them to come in on their own. The way to do this is; Lock them in to the coop for a week with food and water, day and night. When you let them out in a week they will know to come in at night and you will only need to latch the run door. Mine free range during the day and in the evening they come into the run and groom themselves for a while before going into the coop and getting comfortable before dark. I come along in the evening and collect the eggs and simply lock the run to keep them safe.
Good Luck.

 

[chicmom]

Hi Nutty! Sounds like you're doing a great job with your chicks. Cracked corn and scratch is like candy to a chicken, so throwing a handful in for your flock to peck at about once a day is just fine.

Veggies and fruits are a good treat. Lots of people feed their chickens dinner leftovers, and I don't think that's a good idea because chickens can develop fatty liver disease, and that shortens their life.

If your chicks have been in their run for a week or so, you might be surprised to find they'll go into their coop when it starts getting dark, even without the bribe.

Not sure what your climate is like, but I'm in Ohio, and cracked corn or scratch is a real good bedtime snack in the winter for chickens, because it's harder to digest, so it brings their body temps up, and helps keep them warm.

I'd stick to the starter/grower feed until they are about 20 weeks, then I switch to the layer feed.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Sharon

 

[nuttyredhead]

THanks for the info! I wonder if they would go in by themselves if I dont bribe them. We just attached the run to the coop 2 days ago. But they have been in their coop at night for about 3 weeks now.Before that we were bring them up to the run (used to be a dog kennel) in the am and bring them back down at night. I will try to see if they will go in by themselves tonight! (then i will give them there snack!)

I tihnk the temps are just to warm and humid here to lock them up for a week. :-(