No waste baby chick feeder
What's the most cost effective feeder option for baby chicks?
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Chicks are messy and tend to kick their food all over the place. So which feeder will work best in your brooder for eliminating waste and saving money?
When first in the brooder, chicks are best left with food sprinkled on the brooder floor.
That way, they learn to react to the sound of crumbs dropping - which is what a mother hen would teach them - and to distinguish between food and bedding.
But once they've got the hang of what to eat, it's time to add containers into their lives.
The problem is, chicks are messy.
They kick food everywhere, which can lead to massive waste. They climb on top of whichever feeder they're given, which leads to poop in their feed, and the need to clean it out several times a day.
So is there a solution to this in the feeders available on the market today, or is wasting grain (and therefore money) just a fact of life when raising chicks?
I've tried almost all versions of the chick feeder that I know of, some of which work better than others. Here, I review four feeders I've used to assess whether it's possible to prevent waste in the brooder.
If you purchase a product through links on the rest of this page, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I have purchased or would purchase myself and which I believe would benefit you. To learn more please see my disclosure policy.
The long, plastic feeder.
If you have more than four or five chicks, these long feeders are good. While chicks are small, they can sit side by side to eat from them, and because the holes are fairly small, it's not possible for them to climb inside the container - which they will, if they can!
It's red, the colour all chickens instinctively want to peck at, so it encourages immediate feeding (once they've got used to it). And the covered top means the chicks are less able to waste feed by kicking it around.
But it's made of a fairly light plastic, which means it can be shoved around and pushed over, wasting the feed inside.
And despite it being slippery plastic, my experience is that chicks nevertheless choose to sit on top of it.
Long plastic feeder: verdict.
- Pros: It's inexpensive, long enough to feed a lot of chicks all at once, easy to clean and stops feed from being kicked out. And being plastic, it's built to last!
- Cons: It's light, so easily topples over, and chicks can (and do!) sit on top of it and poop into their food.
- Who's it good for? Great as a first feeder if you have a dozen or more chicks to feed. But you'll need to move to something larger within a couple of weeks.
Long metal trough chick feeder.
As the chicks begin to grow, you'll find they need a larger, heavier, more accessible feeder to allow room for everyone.
My chosen feeder then is this long metal trough. Its openings are larger than for the first stage, which gives everyone a turn, and it's covered by metal bars which prevent the chicks from sitting in it.
The chicks in the pic below were two weeks old when I introduced them to my metal feeder. It took them about ten seconds to get used to it and start eating!
I bought this one at my local feed store, and I wouldn't be without it.
Long metal feeder: verdict.
- Pros: It allows larger chicks to feed since the gaps between bars are wider than the plastic feeder. It's sturdy and the bars are too narrow for chicks to perch and poop!
- Cons: The larger openings do allow bedding to be kicked into the feed which means it has to be cleared regularly, to stop the chicks eating their bedding.
- One way round that is using sand in the brooder, which causes less disruption as it falls beneath the grain.
- Who's it good for? If you have growing chicks this is a good option. I've used this feeder for as many as 27 chicks until they were about five to six weeks old.
- Buy one at your local feed store if possible.
They're very common and likely to be a better price than online.
Mason jar chick feeders.
Feeders like the round one below, which are a base into which you can put your own upturned mason jar as a silo for the grain, are very popular.
They're useful because the design allows grain to disperse into the feeder as the chicks eat, so you don't need to keep topping it up every couple of hours.
I find that the holes are quite large, which gives chicks the perfect opportunity to kick grain out and bedding in.
And it's definitely better to use them with a mason jar in that large centre hole - otherwise this is what happens...
Mason jar feeder: verdict.
- Pros: Doesn't need topping up as frequently, and it's very sturdy - it won't get knocked about anything like as much as the plastic and metal trough feeders. Good for a smaller number of chicks. If you have more than ten you'll need two of these.
- Cons: It's still a ground feeder, so bedding will get kicked into the fairly large holes.
And it can be hard to find a jar which fits it well.
- Who's it good for? A small flock of up to ten chicks, until about four to six weeks old.
- Top tip: fill the jar with grain and put the metal base on it while the jar is still upside down - then invert it. That way, you avoid grain spilling all over the brooder as you try to fit the jar into the middle hole.
The hanging feeder.
Most chick feeders are floor-based, and that leads to issues with feed being kicked out of, and bedding being kicked into, the feeder - not to mention the issue of chicks pooping into the containers where they are able.
So any feeder which hangs away from the floor has to be a winner.
The problem is that very few do. So when I came across this clever device, I knew I'd found a winner.
The harness straps around a plastic feeder (or waterer, but it doesn't work as well with waterers) and is strong enough then to be hung from the top of your chick brooder.
And therein lies the only issue. If your brooder doesn't have a top, it may be difficult. I get around this by placing a sturdy branch diagonally across the corner of the brooder and hanging any items from it, including treats and feeders.
Hanging feeder: verdict - this is hands-down my winner!
- Pros: Keeps the feeder well off the ground, so minimising the likelihood of chicks kicking bedding into or grain out of the feeder - so it's more cost effective than the other feeders. The length of the strap can be lengthened or shortened to suit the height of your brooder and the size of your chickens.
- Cost-effective: This design will suit chicks from a very young age until they're old enough to leave the brooder altogether - and even after!
- Cons: Can only be used with plastic feeders and it relies on having somewhere to hang it from. And it's not as effective when used as a waterer.
- Who's it good for? Everyone!
- Top Tip: Be sure, if you order it, that you order the harness with the plastic feeder (not waterer).
That way, you can be sure the two will fit perfectly together.
- Or click here to buy from the Amazon UK store.
More information about baby chick care.
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Best No Waste Chick Feeders
When you get baby chicks, you’ll notice quickly, they’re very messy with their feed. In this article, we talk about the best chicken feeders for no waste – and they’re all easy for baby chicks to use!We all want our chickens to group up healthy and strong, and the best time to start them off right is when they emerge straight from the incubator. The trick is knowing how to feed your baby chicks so they stay healthy.
This probably prompts you to ask “What feeders should I use for my baby chicks?”
The answer to this question is going to depend largely on what age your chicks are.
The feeders used for day-olds might not be the same feeder that you’ll use when they’re 12 or 16 weeks old.
As they grow, chicks have different needs. We’re going to talk about the different feeder options for each of age group:
- Day olds
- 4 weeks to 8 weeks
- 8 weeks to 16 weeks
(For adults, you can read about the best feeders here).
Main Takeaways:
- You always want to use a feeder your chicks can reach
- I use something small and easy for them to find when they’re a day old.
- I’m not a fan of long feeders because they’re harder to open and I have to teach chicks how to use them.
- Mason jar feeders are okay, and a good way to keep your feed supply clean.
Table of Contents (Quickly Jump To Information)
Day-OldsWhen they’re day-olds through the first week of their life, you’ll be concerned about whether they are getting enough food and whether they have 24-hour access to food.
They are really confused and fragile when they first come out of the incubator. They need certain temperatures, so it’s really important to make sure that they have consistent access to chick starter and that it’s easy to find.
There’s no evidence to support this, and this is just my own observation, but the first 24 hours of chick life is like newborn humans: they can’t see very well for the first couple of days.
I think baby chicks have the same issue because while finding the feeder is instinctual, I’ve noticed that they’re very confused, especially in the first few hours after hatching through the first 48 hours. I’ve noticed that sometimes they can struggle a little bit finding the feeder, so I like to make sure that the feeders are really easy to find.
I use low bowls or low pie plates. They don’t have much of a lip and they’re easy to find. We have even flipped lids to yogurts upside down (this works great for day old quail too).
What I use also depends on the number of chicks I have.
If we have a lot of chicks, we might use something that’s bigger or if we have three to five chicks, we’ll use yogurt containers for the first 48 hours.
You could also use mason jar feeders. Those are really good because they act as automatic feeders.
You can also use those long red feeders. I found for the first couple of days of life that they sometimes can’t find food in these very easily. They have to be shown how to use it.
My chicks hatch, then for through day two, I’ll use yogurt containers. Day three and on, I’ll use the red automatic feeder. Or if we have a lot of chicks, I’ll use the pie plate, which is really easy to fill.
If you read any book, they’re going to tell you to use the long red plastic feeders. I use them, but I don’t like these so much because they are a little bit tougher to open. Pie plates and yogurt tops are easier to clean and you don’t have to try to open them.
These will work for the first four weeks.
Four Weeks to 8 WeeksFor this age range, I tend to go for pie plates because again, they’re easy to clean; they’re cheap.
After probably about week five or six, store-bought automatic feeders are harder for them to get food out of. The holes in these feeders accommodate baby chicks, but don’t as they become chickens.
As they get older, your chicks will wander around and forage food themselves. They tend to ignore automatic feeders anyways. Pie plates let them browse easily and they are easier for me to fill up.
Eight Weeks and OnBy the time that your chickens are eight weeks old, they are largely looking for their own food sources anyways. So, baby chick feeders are not really necessary.
I really like this automatic feeder from Duncan’s Feeders – just be sure to install it low enough that your chicks can reach it. It’s durable, looks good, is easy to clean, and so easy to fill up.
This is just practical advice that I’ve learned over the years, and this is just my opinion about the best chicken feeders for no waste for baby chicks.
Maat van Uitert
Maat van Uitert is a backyard chicken and sustainable living expert.
She is also the author of Chickens: Naturally Raising A Sustainable Flock, which was a best seller in it’s Amazon category. Maat has been featured on NBC, CBS, AOL Finance, Community Chickens, the Huffington Post, Chickens magazine, Backyard Poultry, and Countryside Magazine. She lives on her farm in Southeast Missouri with her husband, two children, and about a million chickens and ducks. You can follow Maat on Facebook here and Instagram here.
Post Tags: #Baby Chick Series#chicks#feeder
DIY chicken feeder from a plastic bottle: photos, original ideas
Contents:
- Basic requirements
- Types of feeders
- DIY
- Video
In professional and amateur poultry farming, one of the essential elements of equipping a brooder or chicken coop is a chicken feeder, which provides convenient and safe distribution of feed, protecting it as much as possible from scatter and contamination.
The design must meet the needs of the reared livestock, take into account the characteristics of the breed of chickens and the age of the young. The high activity of chicks, especially during feeding, the natural need to rake and scatter everything around with their paws, constant defecation, including in their own food, require a thoughtful and balanced approach from the farmer when choosing this device.
The photo shows various types of factory-made devices for feeding chickens
Basic requirements
When choosing or making your own feeder, you need to pay attention to a number of parameters:
- limited access be arranged in such a way that the bird could peck freely, but did not have the opportunity to get inside the structure, rake food and shit on it; high sides, special turntables, mesh can serve as protection;
- ease of use - simple design, providing convenient frequent filling with food, periodic cleaning and washing of food residues; the material for manufacturing should be selected light and durable, with a smooth and hygienic surface;
- Appropriate dimensions - the container must meet the constant needs of the livestock for feed, be of a size that allows all pets to get simultaneous access to food.
Around 3 cm is allotted for one chick at the circular bowl, when using a rectangular design with a tray, each head will need more space - from 5 to 7.5 cm
Types of feeders Can be floor-mounted, wall-mounted, or suspended from the ceiling. On this basis, they are classified as floor, hanging and wall.
According to the way food is served, the following main types are distinguished:
- bunker (automatic) - is a tank with a supply of food complete with a feeding area, usually in the form of a round tray. As soon as the level of feed in the dispensing tank decreases, the next portion is automatically added from the hopper. Designs of this type are well suited for dry bulk mixes and whole or crushed grains;
- tray - made in the form of a tray with a limiter that prevents chicks from raking and contamination of food; suitable for feeding young animals with wet and dry mash;
- fluted - consist of a chute and a revolving bar installed above it or a removable grate that protects birds from climbing inside, contamination and shoveling feed; are used for feeding chickens of various breeds, including broilers, with wet and dry mashes.
Grooved structures are most often placed outside the brooder or cage, which ensures cleanliness and ease of maintenance.0003
- wet stirrers - pre-cooked, steamed or wet-cooked food is best placed in plastic containers or galvanized iron trays, which are easier to clean and disinfect;
- dry food - whole or crushed grains, cereals, bulk or combined mixtures are preferably poured into metal or plastic bunkers;
- greens and herbs - for freshly harvested as well as dried grass, special hanging or wall-mounted feeders made of plastic (metal) mesh are used, designed for long-term preservation of green fodder and its protection from chick waste.
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The presence of protective elements that help avoid food contamination, including droppings, significantly reduces the risk of intestinal diseases in birds
the type of fastening of the structure, as well as the principle of supplying food, is chosen depending on the number of livestock, age and breed of chicks, conditions of detention and the type of feed used.
Do-It-Yourself
Despite the wide range of ready-made products available in specialty farm shops and even in the hardware department of supermarkets, many owners prefer to make their own chick feeders. Firstly, the household will always find improvised materials and suitable tools for the construction of a fairly simple design (plastic bottles, old buckets, basins, plywood, CD containers, cutting PVC pipes of different diameters). Secondly, the chicks grow very quickly, so it is not economically feasible to spend money on buying a device that can last only a few weeks, especially since the work will not take much time.
Homemade trough feeder equipped with a barrier, great for giving dry and wet mash to chickens up to 1.5-2 months of age
Hopper feeder from a plastic bottle
One of the easiest and fastest to make - a feeder from a plastic bottle with holes cut out along the bottom, installed in the bowl for food, and replenished automatically as it is pecked by the chicks.
Such a device is suitable even for the smallest, day-old chicks.
To create it, you only need a clean plastic bottle of 1.5 or 2.0 liters (it is better if it is from mineral or purified water) and a dispensing container, which can be used as an enamel or aluminum bowl, deep plate, round plastic box, cut off the bottom of a larger plastic bottle (5-6 liters). From the tools you need to prepare scissors or a clerical knife, a glue gun, liquid nails or other neutral universal glue.
How to make a chick feeder from a plastic bottle at home, see step by step instructions :
- Prepare the bottle - thoroughly wash, disinfect and dry.
- Cut off the tapered top of the bottle (cone with cork) to a level where it becomes cylindrical.
- In the lower part near the bottom of the bottle, make 5-6 holes in a circle, each with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm; melt the edges of the incisions to protect the bird from injury.
- Fix the bottom of the bottle firmly in the bowl with any non-toxic glue or sealant, wait until it sets.
- Fill the prepared hopper to the top with compound feed, cereals or grain mixture.
When distributing feed, it is very important to choose a stable round bowl to avoid tipping over the entire structure. With the correct bowl diameter for the number of birds available, all chicks will have free access to food, even if they gather around it at the same time. And for a large number of chickens, you need to build several feeding areas and put them in the house in different places.
Well-made and properly selected practical feeders contribute to high productivity and maintaining the health of the birds, ensure the rational use of feed.
Video
We offer several videos that detail how to make comfortable and functional chicken feeders with your own hands from available materials:
About the author:
Svetlana Verba
Born and raised in a private home at a time when cilantro or lettuce, adjacent to dill and parsley in the garden, were considered exotic, and getting a new plant for growing in a garden or flower bed was a great success. Now retired, I spend most of my time in the country. There is enough space on the plot for a small garden and a spacious vegetable garden. Near the house, she arranged an alpine hill with a lake, a wonderful rose garden. In the fall, after harvesting and preparing the site for winter, I like to sit on the Internet and slowly choose new plants. I like to share my observations, achievements and experience with other people who are not indifferent to nature.
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diet in the first days of life, chicken feed norms
The diet of chickens, especially small ones, is different from the diet of adult chickens. Many breeders who raise chickens in the household are interested in how and what to feed the chicks so that they develop properly. For healthy growth, chickens require a balanced diet in sufficient quantities. The composition of the products depends on the direction and age of the chicks. |
Content:
- What does healthy chicks eat?
- General rules for formulating rations
- What to feed chickens?
- General rules for feeding
- Feed for chicks of various ages
- Feeding frequency
- Feeding Features
- Farmer's councils
What does healthy chicks eat?
Sources of proteins, vitamins, micro and macro elements are products of plant and animal origin, as well as substances synthesized in the laboratory. For the production of finished formulations in the factory, only high-quality proven raw materials are used. In feed for laying hens and broilers are introduced:
|
It is quite difficult to independently calculate the proportions and mix the components thoroughly without the appropriate equipment.
General dietary guidelines
The terms of growing meat breeds are 1.5-2 months, laying hens - up to six months. During this time, the bird should gain weight of 2.5-3 kg. To accelerate the growth of muscle mass in broilers, it is recommended to use specialized feed. It fully meets the needs of the bird in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The composition and consumption of feed should be appropriate for the age of the chicks.
At 1-2 weeks of life, the foundation of the skeleton is laid in chickens, muscle mass increases at an average pace. At this time, it is necessary to introduce a sufficient amount of proteins, fiber, and mineral components into their diet.
In the growth phase, chickens are gaining weight intensively. They need as many amino acids and proteins as possible, which act as a building material for cells, as well as complex carbohydrates.
The dose of vitamins and minerals received with food is increased.
At the finishing stage, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced so that the broilers gain more muscle mass, and not fat. At this stage, it is important to prevent weight loss. For these purposes, finishing compound feed is introduced into the diet.
What to feed chickens?
Cereals form the basis of the diet.
| Corn | One of the most useful and nutritious ingredients. Corn is the leader among grains in terms of protein content, while it contains less fiber than other cereals. The product is easily digested and well absorbed. |
|---|---|
| oats | Source of many amino acids. It is considered a dietary product, but contains a lot of fiber. In large quantities, it causes blockage of the intestines, so its share in the composition of the feed does not exceed 20%. Oats are given in a purified form, completely removing the film from the grains. The size of the fraction depends on the age of the bird. Sifted oatmeal is usually added to prestarter formulations. |
| Wheat | Contains a large amount of vitamin E, B. Feed wheat is usually used in bird feed. The percentage can be up to 30%. |
| Rye | It is a source of a number of useful proteins, but contains too much mucus, which negatively affects the digestive system of chickens. It is added to some feeds in small quantities. |
| Barley | Practically not inferior to oats in useful properties, but also contains a lot of fiber. It is introduced into the composition only in a purified and sifted form. |
| Buckwheat | Despite the fact that the product contains components useful for poultry, it is rarely used. Basically, it is added to granulated feed, because. in loose form, chickens do not peck it. |
| Bran | Products of processing grain crops are introduced to increase the caloric content of the diet. By themselves, they have no nutritional value, so they are rarely used. |
Peeled vegetables are used as succulent feed.
| Potato | Improves poultry digestion, promotes the absorption of nutrients. It is introduced in boiled dehydrated form. In the process of preparing food, it is unacceptable to use green potatoes, since poisonous solanine has formed in them. |
|---|---|
| Beet | It normalizes the work of the intestines, prevents its blockage, provides the needs of chickens for vitamin B2, carotene, sugar. It can be given both fresh and boiled. The content of beets in the diet is about 15%. |
| Pumpkin | It contains a lot of vitamins and microelements. The product is added in an amount not exceeding 15% of the total volume. |
Protein components provide the daily requirement for amino acids. Protein sources are also rich in vitamins and minerals.
They can be of plant and animal origin. Amino acids are well absorbed by the body. Animal proteins are obtained from various types of flour:
- fish. This product makes up to 8% of the diet, but is not used in broiler feed so that the meat does not have a specific smell;
- bone. In terms of the amount of proteins, it is not inferior to cereals, and at the same time it is rich in fats (11%) and vitamins A and E. It is given to chickens from a month old;
- blood. The product is rich in essential amino acids, but in high concentrations it provokes indigestion. Its share in the diet should not exceed 4%;
- pen. This component is used as an available source of protein to balance the feed composition. It is added in small amounts (up to 2%).
Dairy products are also a source of well-digestible animal protein: cottage cheese or whey. Their inclusion in feed mixtures for laying hens increases the egg production and fertility of chickens.
Legumes are richest in vegetable proteins:
- soy in terms of percentage and qualitative composition of proteins and amino acids is practically not inferior to products of animal origin, it also contains vitamins and minerals;
- peas also provide protein requirements for poultry, although to a lesser extent; chickens do not eat it well because of the specific smell and taste, therefore, no more than 10% is introduced into the feed;
- soybean and sunflower meal and cake are an inexpensive, highly digestible source of amino acids. In compositions for adult chickens, their share is 15-17%, for chickens and young animals - 10%.
General rules for feeding
Each individual should consume approximately 15-30 g of food per day: how much depends on the breed, weight of the chicks, and the intensity of their development. In general, the amount of feed each time should be such that the young hens will eat it in 30 or 40 minutes. The remains must be removed from the feeders so as not to deteriorate, and the feeders themselves must be washed and dried. |
If the chicks do not eat the feed given to them often, then its rate should be reduced. If, on the contrary, the food is eaten quickly, then it is desirable to increase its volume.
Feed for chickens of various ages
| PC-2 | Designed for chicks under 7 weeks old. It is produced in the form of finely ground grains, designed for an insufficiently unformed digestive system, easily digestible, contains all the useful trace elements. |
|---|---|
| PC-3 | Balanced mix for young animals 8-20 weeks old. Promotes rapid growth and proper formation of the reproductive system. It is produced in the form of grains with medium-sized fractions. |
| PC-5 | Designed for broiler chickens from 2 weeks to 1 month of age. It consists of a complex of easily digestible components that stimulate a set of muscle mass. |
| PC-6 | It has similar characteristics, but is designed for broilers older than a month. |
All types of feed can be divided into three groups:
| carbohydrate | Protein | Vitamin |
|---|---|---|
| Promote accelerated growth and muscle mass gain. Their composition is dominated by cereals and vegetables. Chickens digest foods high in carbohydrates well, which cause a slowdown in metabolism and rapid weight gain. Such feeds are designed for broilers and increase the average carcass weight. | Such compound feeds are developed mainly for laying hens. A large amount of protein increases the productivity of the bird, improves the palatability of the eggs, and makes the shell stronger. | Strengthen the immune system, help to survive the winter period. Usually produced in the form of concentrates, which enrich the main diet. |
According to the form of release, the compositions are of 2 types.
| Loose ones consist of fine-grained components. The disadvantage of such compositions is that they are worse absorbed. The chicken chooses tasty crumbs from the feed, and the less appetizing ingredients are thrown away. As a result, the bird receives less nutrients. In addition, a lot of dust remains in the feeder. However, it is impossible to completely abandon loose compositions. Chickens in the first weeks of life are not able to swallow and digest large granules, therefore they can peck only small grains. For broilers, loose compound feed can be introduced into the diet from the first days of life, and for laying hens - from the second week. When using dry mixes, it is important to provide the hens with sufficient drinking water. |
Expanded feed is produced by short-term heat treatment under high pressure. Nutrient mixtures are in the form of granules and contain liquid components in their composition.
However, when heated, some of the vitamins are destroyed. |
The advantages of expanded compositions include: Feeding frequency
The first time chickens are fed on the same day they are born. Then, until the age of 7 days, the chicks of meat breeds are fed 6-8 times a day, from the 2nd week of life - 6 times, from the 3rd - 4 times a day, by the age of one month, chickens are fed three times a day. Chicks of egg breeds up to 1.5 weeks are fed 5-6 times a day, and by the month they are gradually transferred to 3 meals a day.
When choosing a mixture, it is recommended to give preference to complete formulations. However, if the breeder has enough of his own food, you can limit yourself to concentrated additives to enrich it.
Such compositions are marked with the QC marking. Concentrates for meat and egg-bearing breeds solve different problems:
| for broilers | for laying hens |
|---|---|
|
|
It is unacceptable to use concentrates as the main feed, since an excess of nutrients is no less harmful than their deficiency. BVMB is introduced into the composition of the mash, taking into account the age of the chickens.
Feeding considerations
| 1st day of life | Feeding of chickens of egg breeds begins immediately after they dry out. The first food for newborn chickens should be a hard-boiled egg. It is cut as small as possible so that the chicks can swallow small crumbs and roll it in semolina to prevent pieces from sticking to the paws and fluff. In the brooder where they are, they put a drinker with clean, boiled and cooled water. Newly hatched chicks are also fed boiled eggs under the brood hen. |
|---|---|
| 2nd day | On the 2nd day, the chicks are already given a mash of eggs and homemade low-fat fresh cottage cheese (the ratio of ingredients is 1 to 1). The formula for feeding day-old chicks should be fresh and fed every 3 hours. |
| 1 Week | From the 3rd day, chickens are fed with a more varied mixture of cottage cheese, boiled eggs, crumbly porridge from corn, oat or wheat chips (the share of cereals should be 65%). Finely chopped greens and boiled red carrots grated on a fine grater are added to them. You can give germinated grain or grass flour at the rate of 2-3 g per chicken per day. More than 5 g of such flour cannot be fed due to the high content of fiber in it. Separately, a little skimmed milk or yogurt is poured into the container; it is better not to add them to the mixers. Twice a week, a few crystals of potassium permanganate are added to the water so that it becomes slightly pink. Keep it in drinkers for no more than 0.5 hours, and then replace it with clean water. This protects chickens from stomach diseases. You can feed the chicks with special industrial compound feed for chickens from the first days of life. It is made up of products that are easily absorbed by the body of small chickens and fully satisfy all their needs. |
| 2-4 weeks | From 1.5 weeks of life, a little sunflower or soybean meal (3-4% of the total food volume), chalk or shells, bone meal (5-7% of the feed amount or 2-3 g per 1 chick). Particles of top dressing should not be more than 1-2 mm. Very fine gravel or sand washed in water is placed in a separate container. After 10 days, eggs are removed from the diet, but other components are introduced, for example, root crops (boiled potatoes, etc.). Salt, rice, rye, wheat bran (up to 10%), herbal flour (6-10%) are introduced into the menu of two-week-old chickens. From 3 weeks old, chicks gradually begin to accustom themselves to whole grains. |
| 1 month | At this age, the young are already quite strong, they can spend time walking, where they independently find greenery, seeds of various plants, worms and beetles. If the birds are in a closed aviary and cannot pluck the grass, then they need to be given it along with grain and vegetables. In general, the share of green grass in the diet of one-month-old young animals should be about 1/3 part, no less. Grain can be given both ground and whole: the birds are already able to peck it. It can be anything: wheat, barley, corn, oats, etc. At this age, legumes can also be fed: peas, chickpeas, small beans, etc. In addition to grain products, you can feed root crops, fresh or boiled, to monthly chickens, vegetables from the garden and their tops, kitchen waste of both plant and animal origin, bran, meal and cake, compound feed. From mineral additives - bone and fish meal, chalk or lime, shell rock, salt. In addition to food, young animals should always have clean water in drinking bowls and pebbles that the bird needs for normal digestion. |
Chickens of meat breeds differ from egg breeds in that they need more complete proteins and vitamins, so their diet should be tailored to this feature. Therefore, it is necessary to give more protein feed, such as legumes (grains and green mass), meat and bone and fish meal, fresh kitchen waste. It should also be borne in mind that they eat more, so they need to be fed more often, especially in the first days of life.
Farmers' councils
When changing nutrition, the sensitivity of chickens to changes in composition should be taken into account.
For this reason, birds should be transferred to a different diet gradually, over 3-5 days, daily adding new food to the usual food, gradually increasing its amount.
There should always be fresh water in the drinker, in which a little potassium permanganate is diluted - so much so that the liquid does not turn pink.
It is advisable to mix common salt (up to 5 g per 1 kg of the mixture) and ground egg shells into the feed.
The main disadvantage of self-prepared mixtures is the fragility of their storage. In contrast, prepared feed can be left in the feeder for as long as the chicks need to saturate.
In our company, you purchase safe, certified mixtures with high nutritional value. Products exceed the requirements of GOSTs in quality. At your request, it is possible to develop an individual recipe for specific chicken breeds.
The MEGAMIX company cooperates with a network of dealers in Moscow and regions. You can clarify the terms of the order and delivery by phone +7 (8442) 97-97-97 or on our website.
