Newbie-Need feeding info

I wonder if you try giving it to them in the morning in lieu of their feed - at least offer it first and then an hour later feed them. Mine have loved apple cores, whole tomatoes, pear pieces, etc. I haven't tried yogurt or lettuce yet. I also gave my "tweens" (between chick and layer ages) a mashed up can of cat food last night and they LOVED it!
 
Hi, my three girls are 12 weeks old now and I try them on something new every week or so. They love alfalfa sprouts, watermelon, bok choy, chopped up multigrain crusts, canned corn, brown rice, the cat food and apples and most of all blueberries. I spend more at the grocers on them than us. I wonder how large their stomachs are? Every time I go down the yard they pace up and down waiting for food. This could be 4 times a day. I try and only give them treats twice a day and they have their growers feed pellets all the time in the cage. Maybe I just spoil them. They are cute thou and keep me amused while looking for a job.

Back to the tread.
PS my girls are used to being hand fed and even if I throw the food on the ground will follow the dish back to the house.... too funny.
Hope this helps
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Kathy
 
I have two RIR in the brooder and plan to get no more than two more chicks to take their place when they transfer to the coop/run. We bought a big ole bag of chick starter and I'm wondering if it's okay to just feed it until it's gone and then switch to the grower or is it very important to keep with a time line for switching the feeds? They'll have plenty of foraging in their tractor run and scraps when they want to supplement that starter.
 
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Me too. The girls slowed down with eating the starter feed at 8 weeks so we got a big bag of the grower feed. We plan to mix the two to try and use it up so as not to waste it. We are following what the hatchery has told us to do. At 21 weeks we are supposed to get a big bag of the layers feed. Wander who I could onsell the leftovers to?
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Kathy
 
I really don't think it would hurt to finish the bag of starter or grower feed when they are laying. No need to waste it. Can mix it with the layer feed until its gone.
 
When they lay, save the egg shells, crush them and feed them back for a great source of calcium. To interest them in new foods, sprinkle with the crumbles, they will peck at it and taste what is underneath. I give mine lots of fruits and veggies. Melons, pumpkin, hard squash-the rinds and goop in middle, Ends of trimmed veggies, green bean tips, anything that got a little squishy in the fridge. Just DON'T give avocados, onions or moldy.
 
I also boiled 1week non-fertile discards from the bator, ground them up shell and all and fed that. They loved it. Throw a couple of garlic cloves in for an immunity boost/ de-wormer.
 
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I start my chicks with an 18% Start & Grow. They eat this until they are moved into the hen house, then
I feed a 22% Chick-Grow-Layer crumble. Once they start laying they get 16% Lay Pellet. The pellet form is MUCH less wasteful than the crumble form.
I also have oyster shell available (free choice) at all times and also always give them back their egg shells (crushed up).
I also throw scratch to my flock .....as a treat, along with other kitchen scraps. Scratch has very little protein, so don't depend on it as an all around feed. My flock gets to free range in the afternoons, when I'm home and can keep watch for predators.

Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens. It's addictive!!
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