What to feed hens and chicks?

[YzmaChicken1]

Hello!! We are getting a few chicks at the feed store later today for our broody hen to raise… but I am not really sure what to do for the feed? Is there a feed the whole flock can eat, as well as the chicks? Or do I have to separate the hen and chicks from the rest of the flock with a different feed? Thanks!!

 

[Tookie]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
You can get all flock feed, hens and chicks can eat it and the rest of the flock.

 

[YzmaChicken1]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
You can get all flock feed, hens and chicks can eat it and the rest of the flock.

Thank you so much for the answer!! I will get some all flock feed at the store as well!

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC!

You can feed them all flock or the babies and mom can all eat chick food. Good luck!

 

[YzmaChicken1]

Welcome to BYC!

You can feed them all flock or the babies and mom can all eat chick food. Good luck!

Awesome, thanks! If I were to feed the mom and babies chick food, would the rest of the flock eat that too? Or do they stay on layer feed? And if the rest of the flock stays on layer feed, how to I prevent the chicks from eating that instead of chick feed?

 

[SilverBirds]

Awesome, thanks! If I were to feed the mom and babies chick food, would the rest of the flock eat that too? Or do they stay on layer feed? And if the rest of the flock stays on layer feed, how to I prevent the chicks from eating that instead of chick feed?

How many other chickens do you have?

 

[Brooks_]

Easiest is to use starter/grower or all flock/flock raiser with oyster shell on the side for the layers. I would not leave layer feed out where chicks could get to it.

 

[YzmaChicken1]

How many other chickens do you have?

We have 9 hens and no roosters

 

[YzmaChicken1]

Easiest is to use starter/grower or all flock/flock raiser with oyster shell on the side for the layers. I would not leave layer feed out where chicks could get to it.

Thanks for the answer!!

 

[NatJ]

Hello!! We are getting a few chicks at the feed store later today for our broody hen to raise… but I am not really sure what to do for the feed? Is there a feed the whole flock can eat, as well as the chicks? Or do I have to separate the hen and chicks from the rest of the flock with a different feed? Thanks!!

Chick starter is safe for all of them. That includes the chicks, the mother hen, the laying hens, any roosters, any partly-grown chicks, and so forth.

Flock Raiser or All Flock are also fine for chickens of all ages, but chick starter may be easier to find.

Provide a separate dish of oyster shell, so the laying hens can get their extra calcium. The chicks may sample the oyster shell, but will probably ignore it. Chickens of all ages are pretty good at self-regulating extra calcium.

(The only special thing about layer feed is the calcium: right for laying hens, too much for all other chickens.)