Worried about the feed I give to my chicks :(

[Shadrach]

It is possible to make your own feed.
I wouldn't do it.
There has been a lot of research done on feeds. Despite the fact that the chickens here free range I still proved the proper feed for the type of flock I have that is commercially produced.
While I don't agree with the view that is all they should eat, I don't have the knowledge to completely dispense with commercial feeds and be confident that the chickens get all they need.
I don't mean to be rude, but if you are on this forum asking about feed then you don't know enough to dispense with the commercial feed appropriate for your chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If chickens (including baby chicks) could not get enough grit ranging they would be extinct. Of course that assumes your soil has bits of rock in it. Some soils don't, like reclaimed swamp muck. Or they may have issues if your soil is covered with snow and ice. So apply some common sense here.

I don't feed uncooked dried beans to chickens. Dried beans contain a substance that can harm humans and chickens. Proper soaking and cooking negates that toxin. Some people are more susceptible to that substance, and some beans contain higher concentrates than others. Red Kidney beans are the worst. Some sources say eating a few raw red kidney bean can make you dead, other sources say you are more likely to lose your lunch. Dried uncooked beans can have the same effects on animals, including chickens. I'm no expert but in my opinion it will depend some on how allergic the individual is to that toxin and some to the volume consumed and the type of beans. Since I don't know for absolute sure what is safe but I do know under-cooked or uncooked beans can potentially be harmful I avoid them. I don't know what those specific dried beans are or how risky they are. Do they just look like beans?

I don't know where you got that feed or what it is intended for. Does the label have analysis on it showing the percentage nutrients and any additives? If so, how does that compare to the label on the chick feed? Some people feed a basic grain mix, usually with supplements like certain amino acids added, and do OK. Other mixes aren't really suited to the purpose. I don't do that because I don't know enough of what to feed.

Another issue previously mentioned is that if you feed it free choice they will likely pick out what they want to eat and ignore some things so they don't get a balanced diet even if the ingredients add up to a balanced diet. If you feed them just enough at a time so they can clean it all up, that segregation is less likely to happen. I don't know what those time intervals should be, how much to feed at each interval, or how much total they need in a day. That will change as they grow. That's just too complicated for me so I go with the simpler route of feeding the regular chick feed.

 

[staceyj]

Sorry, I’m gonna yell at you for a little minute....

If you want to talk feed recipes and custom milling, you need to study for a long time and consult with knowledgeable people who are truly scientists in their own right on this subject. You can’t just guess and hope for the best with teensie-tiny-BABIES.

People like @rjohns39... know their stuff in that subject.


I don’t usually yell! Honestly! Here, I’ll hug you in advance!


Even though I’m still gonna....My day started off rough.
Cat spilled my coffee then seconds later Dog puked on the rug. Then two hawks have been hunting over my chickenyard all morning.
I am fresh out of patience!

So here:


GO BACK TO THE CHICK STARTER!

...today!

 

[Melky]

Be gentle guys! I think the OP gets it. Sorry you are having a bad day @staceyj. As if just freezing is not enough.
Have a cup of jo and warm up .

I have faith those chicks are being switched back as we speak. Hopefully Mario can step in and reassure us soon and thankful for the advice. Hope the dog is ok. Here is a smile for everyone’s day.

 

[staceyj]

Lol
@MarioBranwell

You KNOW we would all jump in to save your babies!

We are a passionate bunch of peeps and I hope you could tell I was mostly joking. (But not about the switching back)

Its just I hate to see chickens sick or injured. It just “pains me” to see needless problems with the itty-bitty ones.

I hope they grow up to be beautiful little egg machines!

 

[Melky]

How old are your babies Mario and are they in a brooder?

 

[staceyj]

How old are your babies Mario and are they in a brooder?

Oh good gosh! I thought this said how old are YOU MARIO!

 

[Shadrach]

Oh good gosh! I thought this said how old are YOU MARIO!

Are you having a bad day staceyj?

 

[Kiki]

Are you having a bad day staceyj?

She will be just fine...she's about to win the lottery!

 

[staceyj]

She will be just fine...she's about to win the lottery!

Woop-woop I wish!
I had a disjointed morning, I think. I call it the “Multitask Meltdown!”

Dogs are looking like it’s almost naptime and I think I’m going to take them up on it while DH and dd are out running errands!