Hi its brandon. I have quite a few chicks at the mo ( 20 or so) in a brooder. But i have decided to try using a broody hen. It is now days away from hatch date, and something dawned on me, how do i stop the chicks eating layers pellets and mummy eating the chick starter??? As you can see, I have always used an incubator, and have never used a hen. PLEASE HELP ASAP!
Once the babies are born, you take the pellets outs and put in the starter/grower. The mama can eat the starter/grower as well. It will not be a problem for mama to eat the starter/grower. I think a lot of us do the same thing. I do it all the time. They alll will be fine. Good Luck.
A broody hen has stopped laying, so they don't need the extra calcium in the layer pellets. She probably won't lay again for a few weeks or a month after she stops taking care of the chicks. Since she has been sitting on the nest and taking care of the babies, she needs the extra protein from the chick starter to make up for possible muscle loss. It's all good. Mama and babies all eating the same thing.