Feeding the Chickens

Raising chickens can be expensive if you depend on your local feed store for your grains. We usually buy maize by the pickup load; the last time we did this we paid 5-cents per pound but I am expecting this price to be quit a bit higher this year since everything is going up. Our local feed store sells medicated chick feed for $11.50 per 50-pound bag. We have found buying this in the beginning well worth the cost because we have little to no sickness, which can result in loosing some of the chicks.
Once we begin with the second bag of food it is time to begin mixing this with a second grain, which in our case is maize. We have an old antique grinder that is mounted to a heavy board making the grinding part pretty easy.
The kids like using the grinder; it’s like a toy to them. By mixing half maize and half chick starter the chicks learn to like their new food.
Along with grain we are also introducing table scraps to them too. If the scraps are too big this too will be put through the grinder in order to make it easier for them to eat.
Taking care of the chicks is a lot of fun and we all enjoy watching them as they scratch and peck and jump and play.