starting out suggestions/ideas.....

[ldalton]

Raising chicks on the same ground the whole flock covers, and by their mothers, has a lot to do with coccidiosis prevention and resistance. Genetics also play a part, but feeding only cooked foods, like pellets, crumbles etc are, with only cooked proteins and oils in them, is something we acknowledge is unhealthy for most species yet persist in doing to chickens, and the guts of animals fed only cooked foods are generally very prone to all manner of digestive issues and diseases. So grain from day one, or other uncooked food, is also helpful.

Have you ever tried sprouting grains to feed to your chickens? I read on another website about sprouting grains to feed to chickens. I have started my first bunch from Peck and Feed that should be ready in a few days. Should I just feed them the Peck 'n Feed rather than sprouting it? are there any advantages to sprouting other than that they are getting greens?

 

[lazy gardener]

Is the peck and feed all whole grains, or does it have cracked corn? If it has cracked corn, I'd not sprout it, as the corn would just sit and de-compose. May make the rest of the sprouts prone to rot as well.

 

[ldalton]

lazy, good question! I finally found the answer to it on the tear-off tag on the bottom of the bag. It is soy and corn free, 3-grain scratch with wheat, barley and oats.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sounds like a winner for sprouting, unless it's been heat treated, which I bet it hasn't. Yes, there are more benefits to sprouting than the aspect of them getting the greens. That being that the enzymes that initiate the sprouting process actually increase the nutrient in the seeds. Whether they actually increase the percentages, or make them more bio-available I'm not sure. But the greatest nutrient benefit is shortly after sprouting. I wait until my sprouts have about 1/2 - 1" of top growth and then feed them. Be sure to rinse and drain them at least 2 x /day. You can also set them in the sun to green up after they sprout.

 

[chooks4life]

I've tried sprouting them but they don't sprout reliably or often, I struggle to access anything approaching good quality grain on a regular basis unfortunately. The sunflower seeds and occasionally some sorghum does sprout but nothing else.

Best wishes.

 

[Jporres]

...

Well, this is not the normal advice, but personally I don't use medicated feed, I use raw garlic instead to prevent coccidiosis. Unlike when using medicated feed, there haven't been any losses to cocci when using garlic as prevention.

Their very first feed has a few cloves of finely minced raw garlic, the fresher the better. From there I can give it to them once a week or so and it's sufficient, never seen a case of coccidiosis throughout all the years of feeding chooks garlic to prevent it. A zero percent mortality rate to disease in chicks year after year after year must be worth something I reckon.

I would raise them outdoors myself, if possible, again that's not the normal advice, but I believe they grow better in real sunlight on real dirt and it gives them healthier immune systems. They certainly look better raised that way, in my experience. Synthetic vitamin D in the diet doesn't quite make up for no real sunshine. It does depend on what your circumstances are like, if it's frozen outside that's not necessarily going to work for you.

Unfortunately animal proteins are being phased out of chicken feed in a lot of places and I don't believe they do as well on purely vegan diets, the results speak for themselves. So farming insects for them may be worth looking into, or providing other sources of animal proteins, unless you're happy to raise them vegan which I think is biologically inappropriate. But that is just my opinion and your chooks, your call.

Sprouted, soaked or fermented seeds and grains are particularly beneficial to them, even if all you do is soak them overnight, I highly recommend that. They not only eat much less than if the grains were dry, but absorb so much more, it's definitely something to read up on. It makes the feed more nutritious and bioavailable so they eat less but get more out of it.

I start mine on the same diet they will get as adults, just with more protein, but what breed you get and what you intend them for, and your budget, will all have an influence on what you can do, as well as availability of feed types. Millet seeds are excellent for them, high protein.

Best wishes.
[
Do you chop the garlic and give it to them? For how long?

 

[chooks4life]

You can chop or blend or crush it but I always chopped it very fine to make it easier for them to swallow.

Once in their first week should be enough for most intents and purposes but it does depend how many viruses you know your flock has been exposed to, the proximity of the chicks to ground that's been long-term occupied by adult chooks carrying such diseases, and so forth. After the first week, once a week, or every two weeks, should be fine.

Does depend on your individual situation, if you feel like giving it every single day, you can. I used to when I could afford it. I've never seen it harm them and have done a lot of reading up on how much it would take to harm them and the answer is: more than they can physically consume. You'd pretty much need to force feed them super-concentrated garlic extract and nothing else for a fair while to harm them.

Also, I'm in Australia, I don't know where you are, but I suspect some other countries (America and the UK) have some more virulent strains of some diseases due to the sheer size of their national flocks and the prevalence of antibiotic overuse.

If chicks on neighboring properties are dying in droves from coccidiosis, for example, or if you got the chicks from a background and parentage prone to deaths to coccidiosis, or if you live close to (within 50 miles of) a chicken factory, I would keep their garlic levels up to at least once a week.

One clove per three to five chicks should be more than ample to start with. They'll let you know if they want more. Adult hens really only need one to two cloves each for most intents and purposes in terms of disease prevention and treatment, but you can give more.

They will often want to eat a lot more than you can afford in my experience, I'd recommend looking into growing garlic, apparently it's easy enough. Certainly it can get expensive buying it in nonstop.

Best wishes.

 

[SammileeChickie]

Well, this is not the normal advice, but personally I don't use medicated feed, I use raw garlic instead to prevent coccidiosis. Unlike when using medicated feed, there haven't been any losses to cocci when using garlic as prevention.

Their very first feed has a few cloves of finely minced raw garlic, the fresher the better. From there I can give it to them once a week or so and it's sufficient, never seen a case of coccidiosis throughout all the years of feeding chooks garlic to prevent it. A zero percent mortality rate to disease in chicks year after year after year must be worth something I reckon.

I would raise them outdoors myself, if possible, again that's not the normal advice, but I believe they grow better in real sunlight on real dirt and it gives them healthier immune systems. They certainly look better raised that way, in my experience. Synthetic vitamin D in the diet doesn't quite make up for no real sunshine. It does depend on what your circumstances are like, if it's frozen outside that's not necessarily going to work for you.

Unfortunately animal proteins are being phased out of chicken feed in a lot of places and I don't believe they do as well on purely vegan diets, the results speak for themselves. So farming insects for them may be worth looking into, or providing other sources of animal proteins, unless you're happy to raise them vegan which I think is biologically inappropriate. But that is just my opinion and your chooks, your call.

Sprouted, soaked or fermented seeds and grains are particularly beneficial to them, even if all you do is soak them overnight, I highly recommend that. They not only eat much less than if the grains were dry, but absorb so much more, it's definitely something to read up on. It makes the feed more nutritious and bioavailable so they eat less but get more out of it.

I start mine on the same diet they will get as adults, just with more protein, but what breed you get and what you intend them for, and your budget, will all have an influence on what you can do, as well as availability of feed types. Millet seeds are excellent for them, high protein.

Best wishes.

Do you know if adding oregano to their feed is like adding garlic.? I read somewhere that oregano to their feed boost the immune system and has antibiotic properties. But now everytime I look for that post I can't find it have you ever heard of oregano in their diet.?

 

[lynnehd]

Hi ladies I am a newbie...I am hoping to purchase some chicks within the next couple of weeks. I am wondering if y'all have any insight/pointers on things for people starting out on raising chicks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Well, I am another newbie too, but this is a wonderful site to learn on.

My chicks are 3 weeks old now and thriving.
Here is what I did:
*gave them chick grit right from the beginning. They used it. They don't 'need' it with chick feed only, but I have read it helps in crop development. Also, they can have other foods sooner, if you choose to do that.
*I put SavAChick and probiotics in their water from the beginning. (Now probiotics and unfiltered apple cider vinegar).
*We had unseasonably warm weather, so they were outside on a small dirt area with a few weeds in an enclosure with wire and bird netting by 1 week of age for an hour or so on nice days. With me sitting next to them, of course.
They ran around, picked at the soil and took dust baths.
I also put in a tray of dirt in their enclosure and sprinkle chopped up greens on it like dandelion, chicory. They have had a few earthworms from my bin.
They run around with these snacks like they are prizes, lol
*We used a Premier heat plate for warmth. They love it.

One had pasty butt upon arrival (rough USPS trip) but absolutely no sign of it since.
You don't have to do any of these things necessarily, but they have worked well for me.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Coccidia are present in soil, but only in hindsite do you know if your environment is a problem, or not. I usually don't use amprolium added feed for chicks, and haven't had problems. BUT you may or may not have the same experience. Rescuing sick or dying chicks overwhelmed with coccidia is not a good thing, either. I consider my broody raised bantams as sentinals for issues that could appear here any time; coccidiosis or Marek's disease specifically, and will act as necessary if either problem appears. Chicks that I buy from outside sources are vaccinated for Marek's disease every time. I also know what I don't know; commercial feeds are balanced nutritionally, a very difficult and expensive thing to achieve doing home made. I'm happy to buy Flock Raiser! Mary