Chicks 4-6weeks just bought grower feed

[BonnieFierce]

Hi all, my chicks will be 4weeks and 6weeks and I have been feeding them starter food. They are almost completely out of food so I bought grower from the local ranch supply store. I noticed the new food says grower and starter mix (medicated!) is this alright to give my chicks after they have only had the starter non medicated?

Also, I noticed the grit i picked up for them is made up of way bigger pebbles than the original chick grit I gave them to start with... Will that be bad to give them now or will they be fine?

Thanks all!! I'm a little paranoid

 

[paintedChix]

I have always found that it is better to mix the feeds while doing a change, than to just point blank change over. Fewer problems as the body flora changes to the new feed. I even find out what type of feed is fed to the chicks before I get them - will get some of that feed it's not the same as what I use...

Will be interesting to see if its the same w/ chicks as it is with other livestock.

 

[RUNuts]

Medicated versus nonmedicated is a debate. I use non. But do your research.

I'm new here. Just got meat chickens, so I just changed their feed to what I am using. Grower feed. Didn't have any issues. I've also got them on a tractor over the lawn.

To directly answer your question, try it. Let the birds tell you. Cheers!

 

[BonnieFierce]

OH Lord... I just realized they gave me food for "meat-type" birds. UGH. I told the guy what I had and everything... I totally trusted it without looking... the girls were out of food this morning so I had to give them some and that's when I saw it said meat-type for my egg layers what am I going to do with 50ibs of the wrong food? I am so sad

 

[RUNuts]

Grower isn't for meat types. It is for chickens. The difference between it and layer food is calcium.

I feed my layers grower with oyster shell free choice. If you are still worried compare the ingredient tags. Pretty sure the only significant difference is the calcium content.

Your chicks are 4-6 weeks. So they should be on a grower. 18-20% protein for growing bodies. Don't put them on layer 16% with added ~4% calcium. Some people will say the extra calcium causes issues if they aren't laying. I have no experience with this.

0-4 week - starter or grower or starter/grower. Low calcium and higher protein content.
4-20 weeks - grower or a maintenance feed.

When they start laying, some people put them on layer formula. I'm leaving mine on 18% grower.

No worries!

 

[Pork Pie]

OH Lord... I just realized they gave me food for "meat-type" birds. UGH. I told the guy what I had and everything... I totally trusted it without looking... the girls were out of food this morning so I had to give them some and that's when I saw it said meat-type for my egg layers what am I going to do with 50ibs of the wrong food? I am so sad

Don't worry too much. It will likely be higher in protein than your regular growers feed, that's all. Personally, I'd use it rather than waste it.

 

[BonnieFierce]

Don't worry too much. It will likely be higher in protein than your regular growers feed, that's all. Personally, I'd use it rather than waste it.

Oh thank the lord! I also just got off the phone with the lady at the store and she says I got the good stuff. She is not sure why it says "meat-type" because that is what they feed there chicks too. She told me about the calcium thing. This bag says it has 1.14-1.16% Calcium in it, so should be fine. Hopefully the switch of brands and going to medicated doesn't shock them too badly...

 

[Pork Pie]

Oh thank the lord! I also just got off the phone with the lady at the store and she says I got the good stuff. She is not sure why it says "meat-type" because that is what they feed there chicks too. She told me about the calcium thing. This bag says it has 1.14-1.16% Calcium in it, so should be fine. Hopefully the switch of brands and going to medicated doesn't shock them too badly...

The calcium load is simply a nutrient and not a load intended for laying birds. Medicated or not, your chicks will be fine

 

[GC-Raptor]

I prefer a Start & Grow 18% feed good from day old chicks to 18 weeks and beyond if unmediated.
Some Grower feeds are only 15% Protein. Not enough in my opinion.
If your feed is 18/20% Protein, that's perfect.
I would not want to feed medicated past 18 weeks. I started to ween them off it at 16 weeks. GC

 

[BonnieFierce]

I prefer a Start & Grow 18% feed good from day old chicks to 18 weeks and beyond if unmediated.
Some Grower feeds are only 15% Protein. Not enough in my opinion.
If your feed is 18/20% Protein, that's perfect.
I would not want to feed medicated past 18 weeks. I started to ween them off it at 16 weeks. GC

Great feedback thank you. The food I got says 23% crude protein. I hope that is not too much for them. They seem to be doing fine on the new food. They def eat it up. The title on my food bag from Agland shows "Chick Starter/Grower 23% AMP .0175% Medicated."

Calcium Min is 1.14% & Calcium max is 1.16% whatever that means! LOL
I also just switched them from a tupperware of water to horizontal nipples that they are not too sure about but drinking from them... It seems like they get far less of water in their mouth using the nipples but hopefully they will just use it more.

Thanks for all the help everyone!