Just yesterday I made a quick decision to adopt three baby chicks from a friend. Knowing nothing about chickens, let alone how to care for newborn chicks, I mined the internet for information on how to care for them and what to feed them.


I found chick starter feed sold in 5lb. bags all over the internet, including at Farm and Fleet's online store. The brand is Manna Pro. The cost was between $3.99 to $6.49. With tax and shipping, I could have easily paid $10-12.

Then, I did some more research. I wanted to give these chicks what they might be fed on a small farm. And I came across a small farmer web site that provided a few different recipes for chick feed. These recipes called for a mix of whole grains—including millet, barley, whole wheat berries, oat groats—as well as legumes like lentils and dried split green peas and even seeds like sunflower and flax. Cornmeal rounds out the recipe. Just mix and serve!

In addition to these ingredients, the farmers also recommend calcium fortified milk.

I knew that I could find all of these ingredients in bulk at Whole Foods. All of them are organic certified and sold in bulk. So I decided to do an experiment. I took a trip to Whole Foods and bought all my ingredients.

My total bulk weight was just over 5lbs. And my bill was just $6.99, 10.25% tax included! In other words I was able to buy the supplies I needed for my chick starter feed from Whole Foods for less than it would have cost to buy the cheapest, lowest quality feed I could find online. Instead I ended up with the highest quality certified organic feed.

All I needed to do was mix it up and serve it to the chicks. They gobble it up with great fervor, as if they were trying to tell me how much they appreciated what a great deal I got for them.

I just have to say that's a really cute post, and congrats on the great discovery. Do you have a yard for them? What will you do when they are grown - are they pets to you? Just curious.
Best, Dana

They will be pets in my yard. I am building a proper coop for them also to protect them from predators, the elements. I'm glad you enjoyed the post.