Chick who prefers hen food

[Suzanne]

My 9 week old chick has been free-ranging with 3 hens for a couple weeks. I feed her Grower feed every morning in a separate area from the big girls. She’ll eat for about 30 seconds and then come dine on the Layer feed when the big girls aren’t around it. 

Should I prevent this? Maybe I need to sequester her for a while with only her chick feed so she fills up on it?

Thanks!

Suzanne

[Jennifer Murtoff]

I would prevent her from eating layer food. The excess calcium is not good for her/may kill her. 

If you can keep her in a separate enclosure until she is 16-18 wks, that would be best. 

Another option is to offer an all-flock feed with oyster shell/limestone for the older girls. They will eat it as they need and the young one should avoid it. 

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Jennifer Murtoff

Home to Roost Urban Chicken Consulting 

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[Suzanne]

Thank you Jen, I will come up with a plan. It's tough because the pullet (a Buff Orpington named Peep) has been getting along with the older hens so well that I dismantled my separate area for her (also because she escaped about 6 times by flying right over the 4' fencing or finding various holes she could fit through!). It was so cute--at dusk I'd find her perched on the outside of the coop to roost because she wanted to sleep with the big girls! So Peep has been free-ranging with the older 3 for about 10 days now. They're even sleeping nicely together. When she started eating the layer food I Introduced a treadle feeder, thinking it's the perfect way to keep their food separate. I've been working with the 3 older girls to teach them how to use it and none of them seem to get it! My last crew figured it out pretty fast. Well, yesterday I heard the clanging of the feeder opening and closing! Rushed to the window to see Peep chowing down on the layer feed! She figured out how to step on the treadle--smart and sassy! Do I have to revert to fencing her in again? 

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[Jennifer Murtoff]

Hi, Suzanne - 

Not sure how old she is now, but if under 16 wks, I'd put them all on her feed with supplemental oyster shell for the layers. 

Jen

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Jennifer Murtoff

Home to Roost Urban Chicken Consulting 

My LinkedIn Profile

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[Suzanne]

Oooooh! That's why you're the Chicken Goddess!  Didn't think of that--thank you!

 IMG_8462.MOV

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[Jennifer Murtoff]

LOL!

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Jennifer Murtoff

Home to Roost Urban Chicken Consulting 

My LinkedIn Profile

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