What do you feed your 3-4 month old chickens?

[fiddlebanshee]

So, not trying to hijack the thread, but this thread got me concerned about my 18 wk olds now. I just combined my youngs with my olds. They are all eating the same food now-- not much I can do about that. Is layer feed going to hurt my 4 month olds? I leave chick feed out for them, but I' sure they are eating the layer feed too...

At 18 weeks I wouldn't worry about the pullets eating the regular laying feed. They're close to laying anyway, or they should be.

 

[humphrey farms]

My chickens eat everything and anything! I feed growth now in pellet form but they also get scratch grains and household scrapes. (Peas & grapes are a favorite! ) They are growing like weeds! They have their coop with an enclosed free range area where they can rake the ground for grubs, worms ect. I also a couple times a week give them wet mash. They remind me of my two Labradors. They will consume anything not nailed down! LOL LOL

 

[MamaChick123]

Hey, sorry if this annoys or bothers you, but I just recently bought some chickens, which are now 1 month old, and I was wondering what's best to feed them. It would also be helpful if you could tell me how to tell roosters and hens apart, and how old they are when you can tell. I've been looking at numerous websites, but none have said the same as any of the others, or don't say what I'm really interested in.

 

[mstanco]

Ciao,

My 12 chickens will be 4 months old in a few days. I have been feeding them grower feed for a while now and just introduced layer feed last week. Nightly they get a variety of veggies (corn, peas, carrots, string beans) and spaghetti. They LOVE spaghetti.
Tonight they had corn, peas and green beans with english muffins and spaghetti.
I am hoping they start laying in the next few weeks.
BTW, living in Florida I used hardware cloth around the whole run and just used chicken wire on top of the run. I have seen raccoons, snakes and possums in my yard and did not want to take a chance with just using chicken wire.

 

[RedZ]

Glad I came too !!!....We are so New at This ...From all the reading on here I feel way Better ..Thanks

 

[travis327]

I decided after 2 months to let my chickens roam free in the yard. They are so funny to watch and I love them. I put them back in the pen in the evening so critters won't get them. My question is.?? Are they growing better because of the freedom?

 

[option31]

What would they eat if mom hatched them? Anything they could... mine are less than two weeks and already eating weeds and greens I put in brooder house. Keeps em from getting bored.

 

[Redbow]

I told the Purina salesman my layers were 18 weeks old and he said to go ahead and so switch them to layer mix, which is good for me because my older layer have been eating grower mix because I can't separate their feed. The older layers need to get back on layer mix. Regarding worms, I read that worms in particular carry parasites that immature chickens would have a hard time recovering from so it is better to not hand feed them worms. After they are adults, they can better fend off intestinal parasites.

 

[dipilu2]

...

The first few nights my very first batch of chicks spent out in the coop I actually took my daughters baby monitor and hooked it up out there so I could hear "the babies" if they needed me.

That's adorable only because I would do the same thing!

 

[kilby]

My 4 chicks were hatched 3 months ago. I used starter and used the whole bag by giving the grower mixed in after the two week period. I had them outside during the day when they had some feathers and they have stayed outside when the temperature was right for their age. I was a little scared to let them out of the pen with the big adults being so terretorial but they devoured the grass like crazy so I think any fresh veggies anytime is swell. I gave them corn and organic sprouts in the house as well after two weeks. As long as they have sand or grit they can digest anything they swallow so make sure they have enough grit and let them free range. I know they don't eat all the grower and eat the layer now that is in the open but I have discovered that with the free ranging they will determine correctly what they need. Bugs are high in protein remember and so is grower. I lay grass cuttings around the yard for extra nutrition and bugs. They are naturals. If you don't free range have lots of grass or sprout organic scratch. the nutrition sky rockets in that way. They will live happy fulfilled lives I am sure.