Hen's first hatch, so when or if chicks need starter

[wildswanfarm]

Our hen has hatched her first of 7 eggs. Will the chick (or chicks) need starter feed, or will the hen guide them to the layer mash?

 

[Brookliner]

Our hen has hatched her first of 7 eggs. Will the chick (or chicks) need starter feed, or will the hen guide them to the layer mash?

The chicks need starter mash to be available immediately. I prefer medicated mash but that is your choice. The hen will teach the chicks how to eat and drink . The chicks will definitely not eat layer pellets.

 

[wildswanfarm]

Thank you! We gave them starter and water as well.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

A chick can go 48 hours w/o food nor water. No rush to get them food unless they're older then 48 hours.

If you free range your chickens then they should only need starter for the first week, after that if you just sprinkle it down for them they'll learn how to forage and soon won't need much food ^^ that's how we work anyways
Best of luck with your babies, we just hatched some round here <33

 

[wildswanfarm]

Thank you CochinBrahmaLover. We also introduced three Partridge Cochin 3 day old chicks to her last night, and this morning she seems to have accepted them. We are planning to move her and the chicks down to the floor of the coop into a large protected cage area as we will be back and forth between our home near Cobble Hill and Galiano Island all week on business.
We plan to move "Miss Jean Broody" and her chicks as well as all food and water and any dry hay from her current box to that location. Are there any problems with our plan? She is currently in a nest 4.5 feet off the coop floor.