running out of food

[wildflowers]

you would think we would be prepared, but we weren't exactly. I am in washington and we were supposed to get 1 inch of snow. Currently we have about 4 out there and if it freezes overnight the roads are going to be horrible. We have enough chick food for about 3 days. The problem is that on Sat/Sun we are supposed to be hit again and there is snow in the forecast until christmas. We are going to try and get out and get some food, but to get our organic chick starter we actually have to drive for an hour to the feed store that carries it.
so if we can't make it out there our options are to

go to the closer feed store and get medicated chick starter, which we kinda wanted to avoid, but it is better than starving the chicks, right?

or figure out how to supplement to make their feed last longer
I have quinoa, millet, corn, chick pea flour, all sorts of beans that I am thinking I could cook. My chicks are just over 3 weeks. I am really kicking myself right now, but we were planning on making the trip to the feed store this weekend and now I am not sure if that is possible.

 

[lalaland]

don't panic - you can add oatmeal, eggs, cooked grains (rice, lentils, millet, cornmeal) - apples bananas nuts raisins dry cold cereals yogurt - grate up carrots - the thing is this is only temporary, so you don't have to worry about the nutritional values for a few days - won't hurt them.

since they are so small, you might want to finely chop stuff for them. If they are scared of this new and different food, try hand feeding til they relax -

about the only thing I have heard you shouldn't feed chickens is potatoes and beans! not sure it that has any basis in truth, but.

and really, they eat meat, tuna, cat food, dog food, bird seed.....canned or frozen veggies....whatever you are eating for dinner )ok, I would leave the soda pops and such out of this! but chickens will eat all sorts of leftovers from your meals. spaghetti! grapes crackers cookies dog biscuits...get the idea? it will be ok!

keep em warm, though!
good luck!

 

[Renee]

I don't think the medicated chick starter will hurt them. They will be off of it way before they begin to lay, and it might help them build up a little immunity to coccidosis.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I would just get the medicated chick starter, and not worry about it. It is just for a real short time. I accidentally bought a bag last month, and just used it up. Next time, I'll look at the bag.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
Its true, no raw potatoes or beans.
Cooked are no problem.

 

[digitS']

At 21 or so days old, they are real young for much variety.

I imagine that they've just eaten 1 food from the get-go.
Four inches or so . . . I'm obviously a few miles away but there has to be over 2 feet of new snow in my yard this evening

!!

I gotta get to a pharmacy in the morning . . .

Steve

 

[lalaland]

they are young, but they can handle the food. The farmer next to me doesn't purchase prepared chicken feed - just feeds grains and leftovers (which the cats and chickens eat together!).

Because they haven't had any variety, they may be scared or indifferent to food that doesn't look like what they are used to, but again, chopping into small particles or hand feeding takes care of that.

Personally, I'ld choose to go for food from my cupboard for a few days instead of adding more medicated crap to their diet. they will do fine either way.

 

[wildflowers]

we made it to the feed store today and stocked up, we got extra bedding in case power went out, scratch, grit, we had to get grower, we are going to mix it in with the starter until we can get to the other feed store, we went to two today. But it will be alright for a week or so. I figured it was better than layer. I feel much better now.

And I know 4 inches shouldn't be much, but they really don't take care of the roads here. It was a good dry light snow, if they would have plowed while it was coming down it never would have been packed to the road and turned into ice. And we are expected to get 8 inches starting tomorrow night. We have stocked up just in case. And since we have we won't get like any snow, right? That is how it work, isn't it? But at least I won't say that I wish I had made it to the feed store to pick up stuff.

 

[beavis]

They love cooked rice and spaghetti, I think they think its worms.....

 

[Wildsky]

Order some on line and make the fed-ex guy drive.