Mamma hens refuse to "feed" chicks starter!

[Larkin]

I'm worried because even though I have starter in their nesting area, Mamma want to feed them corn pieces she scratches and finds! I don't see mom eating starter pellets so how are chicks going to know to eat them. I've been in the coop and witnessed mom showing the chicks corn and other goodies underneath a hanging feeder for the rest of the layers. I read on here somewhere that the extra calcium in layer mash is bad for the chicks kidneys, but that seems to be what mom wants to show her chicks! I'm afraid they will starve because she doesn't "like" the starter pellets. My other Mamma is the same way with her chicks.

 

[schellie69]

I would just get some flock raiser for them. I let my broody and chick just eat what the others where eating since the chick is with a hen it will get an immunity with out the medicated chick starter.

 

[EweSheep]

flockraiser for everyone and grits and shells for the laying hens

 

[Larkin]

Ahh, flock raiser, good for chicks and layers? Good idea. I'll see what I can do.

 

[thatcrazychickenlady]

momma knows best. maybe something in that starter she senses is not good for them babies.

 

[Judy]

I use grower; no flock raiser locally. You can actually feed your layers grower or flock raiser all the time, if they have a source of calcium available. You're right, layer is quite harmful to chicks. I've never seen the chicks get into the oyster shell.

 

[Larkin]

Quote:
Does grower have too much protein or is it the same as layer but layer has calcium added? I'm no nutritionist!! Btw, I just called our local feed store and no luck with the flock raiser either. Lady there says mama will find what chicks need, her mama hen did the same thing-found corn and grains from the mash for her chicks to munch on.

 

[yotetrapper]

Personally, I'd not worry about it a bit. Mama hens were raising chicks long before the invention of chick starter.