How do you augment goats milk for day old meat chicks? Do they need to be offered water too? If anyone knows please let me know as soon as possible! Thanks! Julia Smith

-- Julia Jane Smith (vjsmith@dotnet.com), March 23, 2000

Answers

I don't have any experience with this , but I would wait a little while to start milk.Give them plenty of water and chicken starter .Chicks aren't raised with milk in nature and there systems should mature a little before starting milk.

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 23, 2000.

Julia, we have sold lots of milk just for this reason, seems it's the secret bullet for the meat pens at the fair. I am just happy to have them buy it! They feed it instead of water in the chick waters, the sort of milky clear ones, with the red screw on base. It is dumped every day, fed to dogs or cats, and refilled. I throw extra milk to my hens, and they love it, but we also offer water.

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 23, 2000.

Maybe Vicky can add more , i've only given milk to older hens never under 6 weeks . Have you ? Did there stomaches do o.k.? Did it help with the poop on there butts .Sorry I couldn't think of a better way of saying it .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 24, 2000.

I am actually just getting this years chicks next week. I use starter for the first 4 days then mix the milk portion in gradually. I set the milk out to sour... or clabber. Once it has clabbered I set it out in flat containers. Remember, this is only supplementing the protien portion of the feed, you need to still add some carbs ( grain) and fibre. I mix the milk curds with corn or oats(ground), whatever we have, and some greens shredded- blender for youngsters. I still feed some store bought starter, but only about 1/2 normal amount. You will also have to get some chick grit, if you are feeding anything but "processed" chick feed. I still use water in the waterers. My idea is that if I am adding extra to thier diet, I need to balance and control it, keeping it closer to thier natural diet. Email if you want. (this is my first time posting here)

-- Marci (daleb@kent.net), March 24, 2000.

At the farm we just feed the milk fresh to the hens. It is usually left over from the Lambar that the kids didn't finish drinking. I also pasturize and scoop the scum (well its really skim from heating the milk) and feed this too. Also any milk that has not sold at the end of the week. The 4-H customers, were raising meat pens. These ugly little fat birds (I know someone must love them) are put into pens, fed milk and feed, as much feed as they will consume in 20 minutes, they do not get feed in front of them at all times. Clean rubber boots are just inside the door, and used nowhere else on the property. I know she keeps a second pen in which she puts chickens that are not doing as well. She has lost of birds who die. Some just get so big that they can't even stand up. She culls them down to the 3 or 4 best an does really well at the show each year. They have a company near us that butchers and flash freezes the left over chickens for 1$ each. So it is worth it I guess. She pays $4 a gallon for milk, times 1 gallon each day. The meat pens go for huge money at auction, so it has to make her some money. I know that this is common practice here in our area of Texas, surly there are 4-H kids folks reading the forum who know more than I do. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 24, 2000.

Patty, at the risk of you already knowing this.... the use of grit after the first 2 days of a chick's life prevents any pasting up problems. Sprinkle it on their feed as if you were "salting" your food. That way they won't fill up just on the grit, but will get an adequate amount. You can buy chick grit for very little cost at a feed store. Yes, you can gather very small stones and gravel, but bought is time/cost effective. Especially since you know it is clean and the right size for their tiny systems. Cost is under 25 cents/pound. One pund of grit goes a long way.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@hotmail.com), March 24, 2000.