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So you're feeding kale leaves to 3 day old babies? And recommending that? Is that what you're saying?
Kale, yes. But, lets not get all hyper-active here... "Leap ye not out of context."
These are chickens, not Lady Astor's Baby.
What I do is offer something that works. Either I've tried it myself, or I know it's been proven over long decades of use.
I know it's not the usual stuff the 'experts' tell us, and maybe it's even a little boring. But the things that work often are.
Worried about kale? Okay. But read on, dear friends.
Watch a hen and her chicks in the yard. For the first few days, the chickies hang out under mothers wing, get their strength up and live off the yolk reserves in their body. After they are stoutly on their feet, the hen begins squiring them about in the world. She shows them the seeds, the succulent grasses and the occasional soft bug that is good eating.
Keep in mind that chicks are supposed to hatch in the spring, when everything is juicy and yummy.
But that hen rarely lingers in one spot, keeping them moving. The result is they cannot eat too much of any one thing. Soon, she scoots back to her nest, plops down and everyone naps, like all babes should.
That is their beginning.
Remember the key concept I used, "ease them in..." Put that on a banner above their brooder.
If you'll recall, I feed only water for the first three days. That's important. You can add a little Gatorade, or some special purpose "electrolyte" if you want. But I hardly bother anymore. I might add a little honey or sugar on day one, if they are shipped chicks or had a hard hatch. The goal is to hydrate them. Remember that yolk, right?
Then, I let them relax and get settled. I don't endlessly peer at them, lifting the lid and showing them off to the dog or the kids - I leave them alone to bask in the warm red glow of the heat lamp. Birthing is stressful, after all.
Then, after the 3rd day, I start them on finely milled oatmeal, hard boiled egg and a BIT of green feed. I avoid soy-based feeds altogether for the first 5-7 days.
Now, when I say a "bit" of green feed, I'm talking a few shreds. I don't hang a head of borecole in their brooder and expect them to forage on that!
But I observe them. I let THEM tell me when they are ready to eat real food by giving them a little, and then watching their actions. Keep it light and nourishing.
For greens, kale will do, yes. It's course, but wont hurt 'em. However, succulent grass tips, a Cos-type lettuce or maybe beet or carrot tops are better. Just go out to the spring garden and snag a few bits.
After the first 5 days or so, I wean them onto chick starter by giving a little of it at feedings. Within a week they are on full starter and the feeder is in the brooder full time. Again, I watch them and let them tell me when they are ready.
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Let me confess something here, if I may: I do not endlessly study every nuance of poultry nutrition.
I don't have time. I wouldn't know a pro-biotic bacterium if it bit me on the arse. I also don't prowl the internet for every scrap of information on the subject. Fact is, I rarely go in search of "internet data" anymore. Frankly, I cannot absorb the information avalanche. I bow before those who can.
Instead, I spent many seasons in my childhood on a farm in Wisconsin. My information resources are the old poultry books, from back when people didn't know so much.
I have a shelf full of these, all originals, by men no one here has heard of - and I've listened to them. I'm a life subscriber to TMEN and I've listened to folks like Glenda and others for years, too. Those are my credentials, such as they are.
But none of that is relevant, except in abstract. Above all else, I've learned to relax around chickens. Like with human babies, if you ease them into life and emulate Nature, you can hardly hurt them.
It's my way... it doesn't have to be yours.
