cluckingmad Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Right fellow chicken loonies, have questions! Nutmeg our buff sussex mum-to-be is happily sitting on 8 crested cream legbar eggs and is on day 14 of her sit so starting to get things in place for the chicks (fingers crossed all goes as planned)... So, first question - chick crumbs with or without coccidiostat? Understand the benefits of coccidiostat (assume ACS is same?) but will it harm Mum if she has a nibble on it while in lock down? Secondly - Nutty currently goes out once a day (briefly) for the call of nature etc, need to pop a non-slip mat into the eglu for the chicks so they don't slip, is it safe to move the eggs gently so I can pop the mat in? OR is it better to just load the eglu with aubiose so they don't slip? Thirdly, what have folk used as a ramp for the chicks to get back into the eglu? Ta all xxx ps how on earth do I wait another 7 days without popping with excitement?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Hi There. I just took out the bars and put auboise in the eglu, I did have mostly straw in her nest but once eggs hatched i did fill up also with auboise so it was all pretty much level. This was my first go - and i used 'with' but after a few days the 2 chicks were being taught how to eat grass, corn, blueberries . . . . . mum is also breaking up her own pellets for the chicks. I really don't know if this is correct but mum is teaching them the ropes.... and corn on the cob is going down so well, Their basics' are crumb though.... Also for a ramp i broke up a rabbit ramp i had but to be honest they only used it for one day........ it took 3/4 days before mum took them out as she was still sitting on eggs. you could make a little ramp with the auboise...it only needs to be tiny... cheers Tace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 My broodys get fed chick crumb or growers the whole time they are sat with corn mixed in. it is medicated and then when the chicks hatch they have chick crumb and grass nothing else until they are 3 weeks then they get a handful of corn with mum and I leave a bowl of chick grit around for them leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 I've not hatched with a broody yet so it may be different but I have always fed medicated crumb and nothing else to the chicks. Good luck with your hatch. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 Same here. Mum mustn't eat the medicated crumbs when she comes back into lay, which shouldn't be for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 The whole medicated/unmedicated feed debate will always rage but at the end of the day it's personal choice. If you choose not to give medicated feed then order a bottle if Coxoid so you gave it to hand just in case Cocci kills in hours not days so if it hits you will not have time to order medicine I've raised nearly all my chicks on non medicated this year withno problems Keeping the brooder dry is key, I now use Megazorb bedding which is just amazingly dry at all times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 after having lost 2 of my first chicks coccidois all my chicks now get medicated chick crumb up to 6 weeks old as I don't want to go through losing chicks to it again I just take the feeder in when they FR to stop the rest of the mob eating it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
