Varied diet for Broody and chicks.

Never heard of this idea that chicks can't digest anything but starter feed...wonder what all the millions of chicks have eaten before the advent of formulated chick feeds.   

I usually have my chicks out on free range by their second week and they free range with the big flock and eat what the flock eats...fermented layer mash each evening after foraging out on pasture all day. 

If you can't free range them, you can always give them a hunk of sod with the grass intact.  This gives chicks and mama a lot to do while confined.  You can also give them any bugs or worms you find but I'd hesitate to give handfuls of greens that you've plucked and placed in the pen...the strands are too long and can bind up a crop on even an adult bird, let alone chicks. 

Black oil sunflower seeds are a great treat for the family, as the mama likes to find the "bugs" and call the chicks to them...no worries about them being too little to digest the seeds, shells and all...they seem to have no problem with them.  The sod will provide the chicks with some grit to their diet, so that helps as well. 

If you can free range them at all, now would be a good time to start...the sooner the better if you have a safe place to do so. 

It will do Mom good to have chick crumb after sitting on and tending to her chicks anyway.