what to feed baby chicks when mother hatches them?

[JakeBremer]

So i have a broody, And im letting her set in eggs, When or if they hatch and i want her to raise them, What do i feed them? Will they eat the same food the adults eat? Will i need to move the hen and the chicks separate from the coop and just put medicated feed? Will the hen die from the medicated feed? Or will the baby chicks die from the laying feed? Please help!!

 

[DeannaOR]

I'm feeding chick starter, non-medicated.

 

[JakeBremer]

So can the Mother hen also eat that?

 

[DeannaOR]

I can't think of a way to separate so that is what she is eating too. I think the higher protein will be good for her given her extra duties. I'm new to this, but I'm pretty sure the chicks cannot digest the adult food and they definitely need the higher protein.

 

[JakeBremer]

Okay thank you, This is my first time having a broody, so. The nesting boxed are 4 feed off the ground, When the chicks hatch should i make a place for the chicks and the hen to go to on the floor?

 

[DeannaOR]

Again, I'm pretty new to this as well. Mine is in a doghouse on the ground. I'd be afraid that they would fall. One of the first times I walked out to the coop after they hatched, there were two stuck outside the doghouse simply because they were not big enough to jump up. I can't imagine the 4' fall would be great. I also put a barrier around them so that the other chickens couldn't get to the chicks. The holes had to be small enough so the chicks couldn't get through, otherwise they would
be able to get out but Mom would not be able to protect them.

 

[JakeBremer]

Okay, I will put a dog kennel on the ground for when the chicks hatch.