How do you feed chicks that are hatched from a hen?

[chicken 86]

If your hen hatches chicks, how do you feed them? Chicks are suppost to have chick feed, so if the mom hen eats regular, is it okay for the chicks to eat regular feed? Or do they get fed regurgitated food like birds or something?



Sorry I'm new to all this

 

[Memphisjourney2seramas]

it wouldn't hurt to put some chick start down, but the mom should do the work.

 

[CrestedGirl]

I jus feed the mom and chicks chick feed, u want the chick/s to have the right amount of nutrition

 

[Beekissed]

Chick starter is fine for both chicks and mom. When you integrate them back into the flock, you can switch to a general flock ration and offer oyster shell free choice for your laying hen's calcium needs.

 

[moondog425]

Ditto !

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[gritsar]

I feed everyone - mama hen, chicks, roosters and other adult birds - flockraiser. It is appropriate for chicks and doesn't have the added calcium that roosters don't need. It makes daily feeding very easy.

 

[Horsea]

I am wondering what mother hens fed their chicks when they ran away from the flock to lay eggs and have their chicks in some cozy spot away from her usual chicken house? Does anyone know? I have been told of this happening. The chicks didn't keel over dead; they were eating something and growing up.

I have one broody hen who just finished hatching a chick and I cannot afford the money to buy an entire bag of chick starter. What on earth should I give the chick?

 

[gritsar]

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As I posted earlier, my broodies start bringing their chicks outside around three days old and teach them what's good to eat - grains, grasses, bugs, etc., as well as showing them where to get grit for digestion. Just as a rooster makes clucking noises to call his hens to eat things he's found for them, so do the broody mamas. Chicks can survive their first three days of life without food. They survive on the absorbed egg yolk. I think this is why my broodies always bring the chicks out by day 3. They are very instinctive about raising their chicks, knowing just what to do and when.

Your chick is going to need appropriate foods, what mama can scare up while free ranging (if you do) and an appropriate commercial feed while they get the hang of foraging. Small bags of chick starter are available at places like Tractor Supply and Atwoods.

 

[Horsea]

Thanks for your thorough and helpful reply.

 

[Horsea]

I do know, however, that my grandparents, born in the late 19th century and living in the sticks away from any source of prepackaged chick food, kept chickens through broody hens. My late parents and aunts and uncles told me this. I am wondering how they survived without a complete, scientific bagged feed. Anybody know?