Question about baby chicks born in coop with mother

Ok thanks, I just read this post, does it have any validity? http://afarmishkindoflife.com/dont-use-chick-starter/

Not really. It's not about what is in one bite, it's about how many total grams of calcium they eat in a day, and even that is average over several days. One bite will not kill them.

If you read that article her chicks range with a broody hen. My broody hens raise chicks on grass, very little of what they eat is actually chicken feed. Most of the day is spent out on that grass pecking away. This is a totally different situation from chicks that are fed only chicken feed.

There have been a lot of studies done on excess calcium and its effects on growing chicks. The results are pretty clear. If they eat feed with the amount of calcium in Layer and nothing else, more chicks die than similar batches raised on lower calcium feeds. They cut chicks open to see the effects on the internal organs. They see deformities. These may not be enough to kill all the chicks and not all the chicks have these problems, but those with injured internal organs (kidneys and liver) are often not able to handle stress as well as others later in life and they may not be as efficient as they could be. Not all chicks die, not all chicks develop internal problems, but the evidence is really clear that some do if Layer is all they eat.

What does the guy or gal at the feed sore know about feeding chicks? If you chat with them a bit often not much. Some are knowledgeable, some remember their training, some know a lot more about building a fence than chickens. I've had chats with the lady that manages chick days at my local feed store, it's amazing how little she actually knows.
 
What does the guy or gal at the feed sore know about feeding chicks? If you chat with them a bit often not much. Some are knowledgeable, some remember their training, some know a lot more about building a fence than chickens. I've had chats with the lady that manages chick days at my local feed store, it's amazing how little she actually knows.
Very true...but for newbies that don't know better... yet... they listen, it's a shame.
...and also true in any other arena of knowledge and expertise.
 
What does the guy or gal at the feed sore know about feeding chicks? If you chat with them a bit often not much. Some are knowledgeable, some remember their training, some know a lot more about building a fence than chickens. I've had chats with the lady that manages chick days at my local feed store, it's amazing how little she actually knows.

Very true...but for newbies that don't know better... yet... they listen, it's a shame.
...and also true in any other arena of knowledge and expertise.

As a wise teacher once told me back in High School, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing ".
 
Simple solution and works .....I feed all grower to the Hens and Rooster....Chicks and Momma are on medicated starter feed....Zero issues that way..Chicks are protected for cocoid..I do not bother with layer feed...Oyster shell separate ...
 
Thanks all for the insights. I gave them baby chick food and used one of those baby chick containers so the hens cannot stick their heads through all the way and eat it too. Mama hen is also doing a good job in guarding the food. It is good to know though that if they walk around and manage to eat a bit of layer's food it won't kill them. Luckily, the hens gobble up most fermented layer food quickly and the chicks won't have a chance to eat much. As the chicks get more mobile though I will switch all to baby chick food in the next week or so.

My broody hen and her chicks have started free ranging today in our 1-acre yard. I posted another thread about this cause I am worried the chicks haven't eaten much chick food today.
 

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