Question about feeding yougsters

[Sgiandubh]

Hello-
My 7 chooks are 8 weeks old now - 3 bantams (2 mille fleure and 1 buff brahma bantam) , and 2 spangled hamburgs, and 2 gold laced wyandottes.

They are getting all they can eat organic chick starter, along with grit in a feeder (they dont seem to take much of that)

And they get grubs and vegetables from the kitchen garden - they especially like zucchini and watermelon i notice. They will preferentially eat any grubs that i give them.
during the days, they run outdoors in a pen (soon to be much bigger) -eating the grass and weeds, and grasshoppers by the gazillions.
at night they are locked up inside their coop --

So I have some questions:
1. Do they need to have water, and food (the chick starter) available inside the coop overnight? (they currently do )
2. They would like to eat as many grubs as i will give them -- is this something that i should be mindful of the amounts- or is it no worry?
3. How long should they get chick starter? Should i be giving them flock stuff next
4. At what age should i be giving them oyster shell as well?
thanks!

Ps they are super cute and fun to hang out with Pics included solely because they are cute.

 

[SueT]

Very cute!
1. They don't need food and water overnight. Leaving food in coop overnight or run attracts varmints..
2. I think grubs are fine. I limit veggies so as to not dilute the nutrition they get from their feed. I usually give treats like that in the pm after they have eaten most of their feed.
3. You can let the chick starter run out before going to an all flock type feed.
4.Oyster shell is given to them after they start laying. At that time, offer it free choice.

 

[Sgiandubh]

Very cute!
1. They don't need food and water overnight. Leaving food in coop overnight or run attracts varmints..
2. I think grubs are fine. I limit veggies so as to not dilute the nutrition they get from their feed. I usually give treats like that in the pm after they have eaten most of their feed.
3. You can let the chick starter run out before going to an all flock type feed.
4.Oyster shell is given to them after they start laying. At that time, offer it free choice.

Thank you!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. Do they need to have water, and food (the chick starter) available inside the coop overnight? (they currently do )

What time do you let them out in the morning? They are not going to eat in the dark and providing light all the time is unhealthy, especially when they get older. Many problems with egg laying can be caused by too much light at night. As long as you let them out reasonably early in the morning they do not need feed and water in the coop.

2. They would like to eat as many grubs as i will give them -- is this something that i should be mindful of the amounts- or is it no worry?

Like every other treat I would not overdo it. They need a balanced diet of proteins, fats, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Grubs, like grasshoppers or your garden veggies, provide certain nutrients but not others. With them foraging some and getting those other treats they are getting a pretty good mix, but just don't get ridiculous about any one thing. Keep it a mix. With them foraging you've lost your ability to micromanage their nutrition anyway. I do not consider that a bad thing.

3. How long should they get chick starter? Should i be giving them flock stuff next

I don't know what you mean by "flock stuff". There are two basic differences in the different types of feed, percent calcium and protein. The other stuff is essentially all the same. You can see the differences on the label in the analysis. We all have our own opinion on how much protein they need, I won't get into that.

4. At what age should i be giving them oyster shell as well?

The only ones that need extra calcium are the ones laying, they need calcium for egg shells. Too much calcium can harm the others. They do need a basic amount of calcium for bone growth and body maintenance and function. With all the treats and foraging yours are getting, some lower calcium, I think it would be a good idea for you to offer oyster shell on the side now and especially when they start laying, even if you do eventually switch to Layer. If they need calcium they should eat it. If they don't need it they should not eat enough to harm themselves.