So many questions!!! Treats?? Do I Vaccinate or not....?

[Paws4fun]

Hello

and Welcome To BYC! There is a nice chicken treat chart in the Learning Center, https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens chickens will eat about anything, just give in moderation, treats should only be about 10-15% of their diet. Nice article on vaccination. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030 Mareks is usually given by the hatchery, otherwise most small flock owners don't seem to vaccinate unless they know they/ their area have had a problem in the past with something, or if they go to shows.

Great links!!!! Thank you!!

 

[Paws4fun]

Vaccination for Mareks would be at hatch if the hatchery does so. Mareks is wide spread and has a high fatality rate plus, survivers will be carriers for life. The vaccine doesn't prevent Mareks however, it may lighten the effect of chicks. You may want to read up on the various Mareks threads to make your own decision.

Cracked corn can be given as a treat in moderation - chicks are like kids with candy, once they taste it they aren't interested in their balanced feed. Treats don't s top chicks from pecking (that's from boredom, bad personality or over crowding in coop or run.) - unless of course they are fighting over who gets the treats.

Thank you for much for your advice!!!! I am feeding a 50/50 split of cracked corn and Chick starter - my girls are chicks from last summer so are all just coming up to a year old - I am assuming I shouldn't be feeding them quite as much corn......I am just following what the breeder was doing - he said once I am through this bag of chick starter move them onto a laying crumble mixed with cracked corn....any suggestions on a healthier diet choice?

 

[Wyandottes7]

Thank you for much for your advice!!!! I am feeding a 50/50 split of cracked corn and Chick starter - my girls are chicks from last summer so are all just coming up to a year old - I am assuming I shouldn't be feeding them quite as much corn......I am just following what the breeder was doing - he said once I am through this bag of chick starter move them onto a laying crumble mixed with cracked corn....any suggestions on a healthier diet choice?

I suggest cutting the cracked corn to less than 10% of the diet. Cracked corn has very low protein (it mostly has fat), so won't help young birds grow. Chicks may fill up on it and not get the nutritionally balanced diet that they need. When they get older and begin laying, keep cracked corn and other treats to 10% of less of the diet. Laying hens need lots of nutrition, and cracked corn will only encourage them to get fat, not lay.