Raising Chickens
- Feeds are available to suit the changing needs of the chickens. Chicks can be fed a starter mix until they are feathered out. Then they can be fed maintenance feed until they start laying. Layers can be fed egg booster and scratch. Feed comes in 3 forms: mash, crumbles and pellets. Mash is powdery, just as it sounds. Pellets are made of compressed mash, and crumbles of broken up pellets. I find mash wasteful and never use it. I use crumbles for my chicks and pellets for the older birds. Then when they kick it out of the feeders they can still pick it up. Some feeds are medicated. Coccidiosis is a disease that can kill chicks that have not built up a resistance to it. They can pick it up outside from the droppings of other birds. If your chicks go outside you may want to give them a feed medicated with Amprolium, which controls the coccidiosis while allowing the birds to build up a resistance. Some medicated chick feeds are sold with antibiotics in them. There is no need to waste money on these. Note: Don't feed medicated feeds to ducklings. They eat much more than chicks and can overdose and die.
- Detergent. Some detergents make feathers dry and brittle. Recommended detergents include Lux flakes, Ivory, Cheer or Casteel soap.
- Vinegar
- Bluing
- Sponge
- Soft, old toothbrush and tooth picks
- Four washing tubs
- Optional: 50% malathion wetable powder