Medicated starter feed vs fermented starter feed

[runt325]

can i use cat litter for chicks like put it on the floor

 

[lazy gardener]

Please NO! Many cat litters are scented. Others are clumping. Even the old fashioned clay based cat litter wouldn't be good. Imagine what that stuff would do when it reaches the crop. It would turn into a heavy solid mass that the chick wouldn't be able to pass. Not to mention the added ingredients, and I'm guessing there may be heavy metals in those litters. If you don't have access to hay, shavings, sand, or leaves, you can use plain old soil, as long as it hasn't been treated with insecticides/herbicides.

If I haven't greeted you in the past, welcome to BYC!

 

[runt325]

Please NO!  Many cat litters are scented.  Others are clumping.  Even the old fashioned clay based cat litter wouldn't be good.  Imagine what that stuff would do when it reaches the crop.  It would turn into a heavy solid mass that the chick wouldn't be able to pass.  Not to mention the added ingredients, and I'm guessing there may be heavy metals in those litters.  If you don't have access to hay, shavings, sand, or leaves, you can use plain old soil, as long as it hasn't been treated with insecticides/herbicides.

If I haven't greeted you in the past, welcome to BYC!  

I am using pine shaving

 

[plynneb]

I fed mine all natural crumble non medicated but infused with coconut oil. I also gave them chick probiotics in their water and a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar. They are not 5 months and all healthy as can be. 

Where does one find this feed???????

 

[nharbison0722]

How much of the fermented starter feed do you put out? I've got 4 chicks in my brooder now and leave the dry starter in there at all times.

 

[lazy gardener]

Make the FF about as thick as thick cooked oat meal. (thick enough that the spoon will stand up in it) You want to be very sure that it's not loose enough that they can fall into it and get trampled into it. Put it in a shallow container, or even put a plop of it on a paper plate or a piece of cardboard. When it's gone, give them an other plop. For 4 chicks, you don't want to ferment more than a quart. When it's almost gone, add more feed and water, and by the next morning, it should be ready to use again. if you find that you've made it too soupy, you can always add more dry feed to get the consistency you want.

 

[Intheswamp]

I'll be going with a raised floor. But, I will be covering it with either a heavy paint or linoleum. I'm still trying to decide on utilizing a poop board or not...whether it will help with the area of the coop where poop will be the heaviest/most concentrated. Or, whether it will simply create more work.

Ed

Oh, and Beer can, I didn't mention it but I'll be using a deep litter / built up type of litter system...not just bare linoleum or paint. I'm not sure if I made that clear or not.

Ed

 

[Upontheroost]

I usually ferment medicated feed with no problems. Every since I stared fermented the feed I have NEVER lost a chick to Cocci!
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