It Can't Be That Compliated . . .

[figsonwheels]

We have 12 leghorn hens that just started laying and are laying feed. We are getting 6 new chicks (3 Aracuana and 3 Buff Orpington, including 1 rooster) on Wednesday. Obviously, we'll keep them separate until they are about the same size and then integrate them into the flock.

My question is, how do we regulate which chicks eat which food? And, we expect to hatch chickens. Once we have new chicks in our flock, and a rooster, how do we regulate their food?

We let them range for about an hour or two a day, so that needs to be taken into account too. It can't be that complicated, can it?

 

[Judy]

No, it's not. The chicks can't be allowed to eat layer, so you just feed everyone starter, grower, or starter/grower. You offer oyster shell separately. The chicks should eat little if any of the oyster shell. You also keep the grit in a separate container. The hens and roos will do fine on the grower and on the smaller chick grit if the littlest ones still need the baby chick grit.

Layer isn't the ideal feed for mature roos, either, but they do fine on it.