what happens with free ranging chicks and momma's ref food?

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

i mean people free range them all the time? how does this work b/c i usually have momma and babies together but want to let her run in the coop today while the big birds are out in the yard but i know there's big chickie food on the ground you know? will it harm them?

 

[colby318]

I run a mixed aged flock so I use Purina Flock Raiser with calcium on the side. You can put chick feed out next to the big girls' feed along as it isn't medicated. (You don't want to get sick) Or you can use a creep feeder. I need to have DH make me one this year. The adults won't be able to reach the chick feed but the chicks will be small enough to walk under it to their feed.

 

[dolly85]

Honestly if a broody hatches out some chicks I don't do anything special for them. The chicks eat whatever mom shows them and I've never once had them perish! They eat all sorts of things like grass, bugs, dirt, layer feed, bits of corn, etc. I trust their mom to know what she is doing! LOL That said, when I'm playing mom with hatchery chicks or chicks I've hatched in the incubator I give them chick starter only until they are out on their own. *Shrugs* Chicks are pretty tough and if I were you I'd let them out in the coup in a heartbeat.

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

Thanks so much! There just 3 days old so i'm letting them break with her in the run part while the bigs are out free-ranging and suprisingly i put there food out there and momma and them still ate it for the time being

PHEW!

 

[Tala]

I feed Purina Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side, until everyone is laying.