what else to feed?

[JodyJo]

I have 16 8-10 week old chicks, they have been on starter the entire time, with evening treats of various items, apples, grapes, rice, pasta, lettuce etc...is giving them scratch and sunflower seeds ok at this age? I think it is, but can' t remember what I did with my roos I had last year, sold them all, they were supposed to have been pullets! So started fresh here a few weeks ago with new chicks. Any suggestions? I also found a great recipe in Backyard Poultry mag for making a "seed bell" for you chickens using scratch grain and unflavored gelatin, I think I will make a few to hang in the coop or run.

 

[ruralretreatchx]

I'm new to chickens myself, but I believe that scratch is fine to give youngsters. As long as you are giving some sort of grit. I bought parakeet gravel at the local pet store, and it's small enough for my 3 week olds. I've been debating giving scratch, myself.

Also, I've given my girls plain yogurt which they LOVE! And meal worms. I've ordered 1000 to start farming. If you're not to queesy about that, look into it. It gets expensive buying a dozen here and there. Also, I'm going to try hanging a head of broccoli from a string so they can have fun with it.

Would you mind sharing the seed bell recipe? I'd love to try it with my girls!

Thanks!

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
sure, the recipe is as follows:

1 pkg unflavored gelatin
2-3 cups scratch grain
1/2 c hot water

plastic containers

1. dissolve gelatin in hot water, add to scratch grain, in plastic container, let set....that's all. You can add more or less gelatin depending on how hard the scratch sets...pop it out the container and you can also place a string through it to hang, like a wild bird food seed bell.

I haven't tried it yet, just got it in a magazine. Sounds easy enough.

Nobody else answered me about the scratch, I don't see why not...they eat starter still, but I thought they may like a change, sunflower seeds and some scratch in their run for an activity.

Good luck with the mold!

 

[bryan99705]

Like the bell idea. We feed wild birds thru the winter.

As to the scratch, should not be a problem as long as there are vitamins supplemented into it. I don't have a bags of starter handy to compare but you might want to check. As for grit, I use coarse sand for litter so I use very litter grit with my birds, even thinking of adding the remaining bag of grit to the litter and let it be.

 

[Alethea]

Scratch is fine, as long as they have plenty of their regular feed. I have no experience with sunflower seeds. The seed bell sounds interesting.

 

[rosegal]

My chickens all prefer seeds. I throw a cup of canary, wild bird seed, black oil sunflower, flax and oat grouts out to them first thing in the morning. I am constantly looking for various types of seeds they will like. The rest of the day they eat scraps, forage the property and will finally eat their layer pellets before they go in the coup if they are still hungry. They have the pellets available all day, they just don't want them.

 

[classicsredone]

They love sprouts at any age. You can get wheat berries at the grocery store to sprout, or use black oil sunflower seeds. They'll usually sprout within a day or two, and you can feed at any point after that. If I plan ahead, I make enough for a couple days at a time. The first day they get half of the new sprouts, and the second day the other half is a little longer.

 

[triplepurpose]

It's fine. Just make sure they get their complete nutrition, too, which usually means giving them plenty of their regular feed too.