0
For the first six weeks each chick will need between 2 to 6 lbs of chick starter per bird. This period is when a chick can double its weight four to five times.
So you are looking at about 150lbs of chick starter for your flock. Meat birds can go through slightly more.
A 50lb bag of laying MASH/mix should last a flock of 25 birds about 2 weeks especially if they are free range and supplementing their diet with things they find in the farmyard.
Table scraps should always be given late afternoon as they will fill up on those before eating balanced rations thus decreasing egg production.
What else can I help you with?
How do you get old chickens and a rooster to get along with baby chicks and a peekin duck?
The only way to accomplish this is to separate them until the chicks are old enough to stay out of harms way. Allowing the chicks to socialize with the flock can be done with a temporary cage, the chicks are protected yet among the older birds. All flocks of chickens have a pecking order and there is no way to safely stop this, the more grown up your chicks are, the better able to handle the pecking and chasing until peace reigns in the hen house.
How do 12 week old chicken chicks look like?
At 12 weeks old, chicken chicks will have grown significantly in size and will start to develop their adult feathers. They will also be more active and curious, exploring their surroundings with more confidence. By this age, you should be able to see their mature coloring and feather patterns starting to come in.
Con you put baby chicks in the pin with other chicken and a rooster?
Yes and no. When adding new chickens to an existing flock there are many steps and stages. One concern is the possibility of bringing in new germs or diseases. It is best to quarantine new birds for 30 days. Afterwards introducing one of your flock to the new chick while keeping separate for another week. After all of these steps then you can introduce the new flock to the existing flock at night while everyone is roosting. This is the best time for the merging of chickens. New baby chicks that are smaller than the other chickens are in danger of being picked on and destroyed by older chickens. They should be kept in separate area until they are at least 8 weeks old before the merge and then watched carefully. You can also place them in a smaller cage and put this cage in the new coop for several weeks before the merge.
Should you put baby chickens in a cardboard box?
If you are temporarily housing baby chickens, a cardboard box is suitable as long as it is well-ventilated, provides enough space for the chicks to move around comfortably, and is adequately insulated from drafts. Make sure to line the box with newspaper or wood shavings for warmth and cleanliness. It's important to monitor the chicks closely and transfer them to a proper brooder setup as they grow.
What should you not feed chicks?
Chicks should not be fed foods that are high in salt, sugar, or fat, as their developing digestive systems cannot handle these ingredients. They should also not be fed foods that are toxic to birds, such as avocados, chocolate, or caffeine. It is important to provide chicks with a balanced chick starter feed that meets their nutritional needs.
Can chickens eat milkweed?
No, chickens should never eat milkweed. Some other things chicks should not eat are prickly poppy, oleander, yew, and agave.
How long should we separate new chickens from established ones?
You can put them together right when the chicks are old enough to go in the coop. They will meet the other chickens when they are ready.
Where do chicks get water from?
The Farmer. Obviously. Baby chickens (all domestic poultry) should be provided with a shallow dish of water. Chicks of wild birds get their water from the food they are given by the adult birds while still in the nest.
How long should feed medicated starter to baby chicks?
until der nice and fat or until you start to see running rosted chickens
When a chick is newly hatched should its eyes be closed?
If this question is correct in chickens category, no. If you mean chicks that are naked and in a nest - yes, they should be closed for the first 5-10 days depending on species.
What kind of seeds do chicks eat?
millet wheat and rye are good starts but most chickens should be given grasses like clover pigs weed natural lawn weeds
What injections should new chicks have?
Chicks should be vaccinated against Mareks Disease.
Will your other chickens and rooster hurt the chicks that will hatch in the pen?
Much of this depends on the breed, game chickens tend to be more aggresive. Chickens, like people, have individual personalities. You should never assume that ,because it is a certain breed, your chicks will be safe. Ideally, you would want to keep the roosters separate. If you must keep the rooster in the cage with the chicks I would recommend watching them closely for the first few days. Also , if a hen hatched the chicks she will most likely defend them.
How do you get old chickens and a rooster to get along with baby chicks and a peekin duck?
The only way to accomplish this is to separate them until the chicks are old enough to stay out of harms way. Allowing the chicks to socialize with the flock can be done with a temporary cage, the chicks are protected yet among the older birds. All flocks of chickens have a pecking order and there is no way to safely stop this, the more grown up your chicks are, the better able to handle the pecking and chasing until peace reigns in the hen house.
How many times should you debeak your chicks?
Permanent debeaking is an often unnecessary procedure when used on chickens. Wire and cage raised chickens often need their beaks trimmed which is also known as debeaking, but is not permanent. This should be done when ever the upper beak becomes too long, generally no more than once or twice a month.
What is the minumum number of chickens that should be raised together?
The minimum number of chickens that should be raised together is at least two chickens . I have two chickens and they get along great!!!
How do you you introduce 2 chickens to another chicken?
When introducing new chickens to a flock there are a couple of considerations that one must make. These are age, size, and sex. Never introduce a chicken to your flock that shows any signs of parasites or diseases. If the chickens being introduced are younger than the flock, say juvenile chickens to a mature flock, then the younger chickens will certainly be pecked at and placed at the bottom of the pecking order. If the chickens being introduced are older than your flock, then there should be little problems depending upon the age difference. Never introduce baby chicks to a flock of older chickens. Chicks should be introduced only once they are fully feathered and about half grown. Size is a great consideration. Bantams and large fowl should be kept in separate coups unless the health of the bantams is greatly monitored. due to the fact that bantams are roughly one fourth the size of large fowl chickens the bantams often can't fight for food as well and can become thin and sickly. As a general rule of thumb, if the chickens being introduced are less than half the size of the chickens in the flock the introduction should be monitored closely. If the birds are bantams, then they will always be smaller than large fowl chickens. If the chickens are simply young large fowl chickens, then they with grow and eventually be about the same size as the other large fowl chickens. Certain breeds of chickens will tend to be smaller than others. For instance, Production Leghorns will be about three quarters the size of a Rhodeisland Red. Sex is an important consideration to make. Hens are generally more accepted than Roosters when it comes to a new member. New hens will generally be pecked at and perhaps attacked by other hens and courted by the roosters. New roosters will often pick fights with the other roosters in the flock. These fights may either be mild or very bloody. Keep in mind that roosters will rarely fight to the death and that cock fighters attach knives to the spurs of their roosters in order to kill the other chicken. The worst that usually happens is that there is a bit of blood. You should never be alarmed by a cockfight unless it lasts for longer than five or ten minutes. When you introduce the new birds simply carry them into the coup. Set them down on the floor of the coup amongst the other chickens and remain in the coup with them. Watch the other chickens closely. Don't worry if there is a little bit of pecking. If the pecking and fighting escalates beyond that to loss of feathers and if the others pin the new chicken in the corner then remove the new chicken and leave the coup. If the new chickens continue to be pecked at or to fight, then you may need to bring a squirt bottle in with you. Often times a squirt in the face with convey the message. Sometimes the new chickens may need to be placed in the coup inside another cage or containment. This should have small enough holes that the chickens can't be pecked or injured through the wire. A dog kennel often works well for this. Leave the cage and chicken inside the coup until the others show no interest in them. Introducing new chickens at night can often be helpful. When the other chickens wake up they will find a new member, but may pay no mind or assume the chicken was always there. This works well with the cage idea.
