What to feed them?

[LibRat]

))Hi I have only two chickens. They are about 3 1/2 months old. Not exactly sure since we bought them from a farm store and they were starting to get small wing feathers then. We have had them 3 months. They roam the yard during the day. We have been feeding them chick starter. What can they eat now? Does it have to be special food or corn or what? They are our pets so we don't plan on eating them or anything god forbid I just want them to be hapy and healthy.

 

[LaceyMae]

Hi! I feed mine starter/grower until I see the first egg. Then I put them on layer pellets. I mix the two for a week or so in order to get them used to the new feed gradually. You can also supplement these with table scraps of just about anything. Mine get fresh and cooked veggies, meat scraps, bread, pasta, anything. They especially love grits and watermelon rind!

 

[Jajika]

Congrats on your new family members.

Chick Starter is still good for another month or so.


After that you need to feed them a good hen feed, like a laying crumble. Mix 1/8 scratch into the crumble. Also, you can mix the chick starter in the a good hen feed.

You also need to give them some fruit and veggie treats they may like. Some fruits are good in season. Apples are great. My girls love melon seeds, water melon rind, etc. They won't eat what they don't like. Nothing tangy or two spicy. Mine also like fresh spinach.

In addition, later you can introduce some sunflower seeds as a treat. When my girls are laying I give them some canned dog food once a month or so. Extra protein.

Also, when they start laying it is VERY important that you have a separate bowl of oyster shell available. This is really important so they get enough calcium. Also,don't forget they need plenty of fresh water every day.

Watch for predators from the sky. Do you have hawks? I'm guessing you lock them up tight at night.

Bottom line, when they get to about six months, introduce a variety of foods, commercial and otherwise.

I also suggest you buy Gail Damerow's "The Chicken Health Handbook." This book is the bible of raising chickens. It is available online.

Good luck,

Geri

 

[LibRat]

Thanks everyone. I keep them locked up at night. We have a sun porch that we spend most of our time on and it is attached to a 10x10 breezeway between it and the garage. It has a screen door on each side. They live there. We have a big doghouse full of hay and a big hay bail in the corner and the floor covered with hay. We prop one door open in the morning and they come and go as they please. Although they would rather sit on the easy chair in the sun porch and watch tv with us. And I have noticed they don't eat what they don't like. They kind of just throw it around and rub their beaks on stuff lol I'm not sure if they are hens or Roos or one of each though they look alike but one is a little smaller. Same family. And they are white leghorns I think. I am not too chicken savvy but I've learned a lot on this site. The bigger one (who I thought was a hen-Pookie) is starting to get a hump of feathers on her tail that I was told was saddle feathers so maybe Pookie is Pooker lol I guess I'll find out in time. She/he did crow sort of once and the little one Pig Pen (well deserved) crowed once too. I was told that a hen will crow so I am soooo confused :/ lol

 

[Jajika]

I learned that hens can crow. I was shocked!!! Never knew that.

I stopped getting baby chicks after ending up with two beautiful roosters.

I'm in a suburb so roosters are problematic. I couldn't tell until they were about four months old, so by that time was very attached. In other words, Zoe became Zorro.

I was very, very careful to find good homes for them. In fact, I gave one to another Backyardchicken person on this site. I can't go through that again, so now I buy three to four month old pullets. I miss the cute babies, but enough is enough.

My girls live a good long time. Hannah Banana lived to 12 years old. Am I a suburban backyard chicken person. Yup.