What can I feed the chicks AND how do you kill a chicken?

[old fashioned]

Even though there's still 2 weeks before hatch date and we don't even know if they are fertile, it's still good info to know. It dawned on me last night about food for them. We have some organic feed grains and layer crumbles but chicks have other nutrient needs than full grown chickens. I'm wondering if I really need to get 'chick starter' or just let them peck/forage alongside Momma as nature would intend? If I did give 'chick starter', how do I keep Momma from it or is it okay for her too? If we had more land I'd just let them forage, but with only a backyard, I'm not so sure it would be enough

As for killing/culling, I've never done that before myself but have seen it done. As in grabbing the chicken by the neck and giving it a whirl to break its neck. They then would wrap hot towels (not sure if just moist or soaked???) and start plucking feathers. After cutting off the feet & head, where would I cut to degut it? And isn't there something you shouldn't cut into that would ruin the rest of the carcass? If so, what is it & where is it?

Can you tell I'm about fed up with Misty and Arnie? One for eggeating and because I think they'd kill any chicks. They are just plain mean. Even the dog keeps his distance from them two.

 

[BeccaOH]

If mother hen had full range access to foraging, she could probably feed her chicks, but it isn't likely that in a confined and mowed backyard that she can fully feed them. You can mill/grind some of your grains for the chicks. Layer crumbles aren't best for them yet. You can supplement them with scrambled egg for more protein.

I get a pullet grower (similar to Flock Raiser from Purina) without meds to use on all my chicks. It is almost powdery.

There is an awesome tutorial on butchering that I went through a couple times before I butchered any of my chickens. It is over on BYC link . I used the chopping block method of kill, and I dipped them in very hot water to loosen the feathers before plucking.

 

[Lesa]

If you have never killed a chicken before- I highly recommend a kill cone. You can make one, or buy one. I would really hate to do the deed without one. JMO

 

[freemotion]

If you want to feed the chicks without commercial starter......I coarsely grind a bit of grains and offer a little daily to the broody-raised chicks. It is ok if the hen eats them. If I'm raising them under a heat lamp, they get the grain free choice and a big glob of mashed meat/fat/bone scraps from making broth that I freeze in sandwich baggies for easy thawing in a bowl in the fridge so I can spoon a glob onto a piece of cardboard for them each day.

Mama hen will want to feed them almost exclusively on small worms at first, and if she has a large brood, she'll likely need some help. I would use a spading fork and loosen the soil in her pen for her. We also load that pen up with grass clippings, which creates ideal breeding grounds for worms, and the clippings get scratched in by the hen.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I have a 3x5 coop that I call the "maternity ward". Luckily only one girl at a time goes broody. While brooding, I let the mama out once a day (by herself) so she can forage and drink and poo, On day 27, I add a chick feeder with chick feed and a chick waterer. But, inevitably, they all refuse to eat out of the feeder! I end up pouring some chick food, scratch grain and oats at the end, and they all come running. The maternity ward has no bottom so it's flat on the ground, which is mostly sandy loam. The sand is their source of grit, and it's adorable to see mama call them over and show them what they need to eat.

I had some chick feed leftover from the huge amount of chicks I bought this year but that was the last time now that we have regular broodies.

Chances are, when the chick food is gone, I won't buy any more. I'll put in the scratch grain, oats, and a little layer with some scrambled eggs or homemade dried chicken food (kinda like pancakes with extra eggs plus millet and garlic added).

I like that grass clippings idea that FM suggested.

As to killing chickens, that BYC link is what I looked at too. However, since I don't have a plucker, when we do ours in Aug or Sept, we'll just completely skin them, thus eliminating the need to pluck. Don't need the skin anyway.