My first chicks...a couple questions (general and serama specific)

[Stina]

Well...my eggs are coming up on hatching time this weekend and I have a few questions! I've never had chickens before so please bear with me...heh

First...I'm trying to decide what to use in the brooder.....I use coconut fiber bedding for my pet mice as it is absorbant and has very good odor control....is there any reason I couldn't us it with the chicks?...Its also mold resistant and has some antibacterial properties.

I need to find feed for the little ones....they will be seramas, so I understand that they need some extra protein...most things I've seen suggest mixing chick starter and game bird starter...Most chick starters seem around 20% and game bird around 30%. What protein level do they need?...would 26% be appropriate?...could I just get a turkey starter at 26%?

Anyone know a feed store in the Allentown, PA area?...lol All I can find is TSC and they don't have a very wide selection...and I don't need a 50 lb bag of starter for no more than 8 chicks!

I'm also trying to get a couple bantam ducklings (east indies and calls)...I know they can't have medicated feed...how different are their nutritional requirements otherwise?....should I keep them in a separate brooder so I can feed them separately (and let them make their watery messes!)?

Sorry for the length...and thanks for any advice anyone can give!

 

[debilorrah]

I use pine shavings in the brooder, odor control and CHEAP! I am also feeding game start to 4 chicks because they are in with turkeys and the turkeys NEED the protein. The extra protein is not a problem for the chicks. The rest I have no idea!

 

[mylilchix]

I know what seramas need very fine food in the beginning. I'd go with a regular chick starter. I've never had a problem with it with my big or little birds. I've found that Manna Pro chick starter crumbles is ground finer than Purina for example. You can get smaller bags of the Manna Pro, but I don't know if TSC carries it. We have Murdoch's near us, and they do.

Good luck!!
Sonja

 

[Stina]

I know that they need very fine food

I'm just trying to decide on protein content. Everything I've seen about serama chicks said they should have regular starter mixed with gamebird or some scrambled egg.

I use pine shavings in the brooder, odor control and CHEAP

I'm not a shavings fan...I've used them for other animals and the absorbancy and odor control pale in comparison to most other options. I think I will try the coconut bedding....they'd be raised with dirt and such if raised by their mothers right?.... I'll report my findings

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

We have a feed store that is called Southern States..Im sure you don't have it, but they sell feed by the pound. If you look you may be able to find something like that, that is not as commercial as TSC. Ask on your local Craigslist Farm and Garden area. Maybe someone will share a bag with you? Or donate some?

My Serama chicks all get reg. chick crumbles. You can grind it up or add eggs, other protein and yogurt if you want. But I have never had a problem with them eating it and being healthy. The purina brands are a little bigger. The crumbles they sell here are pretty fine. Sometimes for very young chicks, I add a little water and make it a mash. Then they get their food and a little more moisture.

I have calls too. They are MESSY. They will make your waterers muddy every five minutes, and spoil their swimming water in a day. Mine are all on grass, and they still get things muddy. Silly ducks!
I feed all my birds crumbles (layer/breeder/turkey) and the ducks eat it too. Its just simpler for me, and every thing here is fat and laying eggs.

Coconut bedding sound good, as long as they cant eat it!

 

[Stina]

oh trust me...i know ducks are messy.....lol

they would be capable of eating the coconut bedding...but I dont' think they would want to eat it...I've kept reptiles and rodents on it with no issues, including raising litters of mice on it.