Letting Broody and Chicks run with the Layers?

[pixie74943]

I'm looking at adding to my flock come spring (It's Winter in Australia) and I have a very very fiesty hen who goes broody every season. I'm looking at buying a few day olds to slip under her when the time is right, but I'm wondering about feeding.

I have a treadle feeder that the adults use, and I'm not worried about the chicks getting into that. I'll switch to grower feed when they're big enough to use it, and back to layer when they hit 20 weeks.

When the chicks are little though, I'd like to have them on medicated starter, but I dont want the adults eating this. Has anyone got any ideas? How bad is it for the adults to eat the chick starter (apart from waste). And has anyone successfully ran baby chicks with the rest of the flock? When I say mum is fiesty, I mean if she gets upset its not just a peck, it's the full puff, growl and then whalloping with the wings and clawing!! Normal she's so polite unless shes riled.

 

[sumi]

Chick starter won't harm the adults and if it's medicated with Amprolium you can still eat their eggs. Amprolium is a thiamine blocker, not an antibiotic. The chicks on the other hand must not eat the layer feed at all. The high calcium content will harm their kidneys. If you put layer feed in the run where the chicks are, even if it's out of their reach, there is a good possibility that the broody will feed it to her chicks. She will pick it out of the feeder and offer it to them. If you put out medicated starter in the run the older chickens will eat it too. So if you don't want the chicks to eat the layers's feed and vice versa keep and feed mom and the chicks separate until they are old enough to eat grower, then switch the entire flock to that, or an all-flock feed, with oystershell offered free choice to the layers.

With some exceptions letting broody hens raise chicks with the flock can go smoothly and without any problems. I have unfortunately had incidents where my older chickens killed the new chicks, but others have had chicks in with their flocks from day one without hassles. If you choose to separate them at first let them integrate with the flock before the broody weans her chicks, which is normally at around 6-7 weeks, so she can protect them. The flock will also accept the chicks more readily if they come with "one of them"

 

[pixie74943]

hmm, cheers. Would I be correct in saying pullet feed wouldnt hurt the chicks or adults, and I could supplement the layers with calcium?? Is there still a concern of the chicks eating the calcium supplement? I use a mix of shell grit and old ground eggshells

 

[sumi]

I'm not sure what you mean with "pullet feed"? You can offer oystershell/eggshell or a combination of the two to the layers, yes. They will help themselves as they feel they need it. The chicks may peck at it and even eat a little bit, but they will not eat enough of it to cause harm, so long as they have other feed available. I once added some young pullets to the rest of my flock. I fed everyone grower and I noticed when I put oystershell out only the active layers ate it. The non-laying pullets and the rooster ignored it completely. They know what they need and when they need it. With the exception of treats of course. They all seem to think they need that!