The other chicken math

[Alagirl]

I have lost complete sense of time (many reasons, my brain is flatulent in this perspective - as long as the garbage is on the road on the right day...)

So, with the help of hubby I saw that I had my chicks on the 21st (or so) of May, give a couple of days. They were tiny.
That makes them about 3 months old now.
I started off on medicated feed, 2 small bags. Just because (and corid was not on the shelf at the time)
Then I bought a large bag (I assume #20) of Turner Milling (it's in the shed, and it's raining - again) chick starter.
The ladies look so grown up, and every morning the run looks like they had a pillow fight, feathers everywhere!

The burning question:
As I am near the bottom of my sack, I wonder if I need to get another sack of chick starter, or should I switch to flock raiser?
I know I have seen the answer many times, but more brain flatulence....

 

[TooCheep]

Have a couple of possible answers. Are your young chickens all female?
Do you have any other chickens? If so, what ages/sexes?

 

[Weeg]

I have lost complete sense of time (many reasons, my brain is flatulent in this perspective - as long as the garbage is on the road on the right day...)

So, with the help of hubby I saw that I had my chicks on the 21st (or so) of May, give a couple of days. They were tiny.
That makes them about 3 months old now.
I started off on medicated feed, 2 small bags. Just because (and corid was not on the shelf at the time)
Then I bought a large bag (I assume #20) of Turner Milling (it's in the shed, and it's raining - again) chick starter.
The ladies look so grown up, and every morning the run looks like they had a pillow fight, feathers everywhere!

The burning question:
As I am near the bottom of my sack, I wonder if I need to get another sack of chick starter, or should I switch to flock raiser?
I know I have seen the answer many times, but more brain flatulence....

You can go either way. Starter and flock raiser are almost the same thing. I feed my entire mixed flock starter their whole lives because my favorite brand doesn’t have a flock starter or all flock.

 

[Alagirl]

they are about the same age, I got them on the same trip to the store. About 3 months old now, presumably all girls. I was prepared to get all roos from a sexed batch....I was lucky, the one straight-run chick seems to be a lovely RIR girl.

 

[Brooks_]

Agree with Weeg - for all intents and purposes they are the same (+/-). I use Flock Raiser (Purina) but will use starter if the store is out of FR.

 

[TooCheep]

they are about the same age, I got them on the same trip to the store. About 3 months old now, presumably all girls. I was prepared to get all roos from a sexed batch....I was lucky, the one straight-run chick seems to be a lovely RIR girl.

OK. Assuming you don't have any other chickens, then either option is fine.

Chick starter has the advantage of being a smaller/cheaper bag because it won't be long before they are laying. This would allow you to transition to layer feed if that is where you want to go next.

What @Weeg and @BrooksHatlen are recommending is flock raiser. FR has the advantage that you can simply offer this feed for the rest of their lives and if you end up with a mixed flock- males, future pullets, older hens, etc. Layer feed is *just* for active layers.

The two main differences between flock raiser and layer is that FR generally has more protein (good for overall health) and layer feed usually has minimal protein (16%), but more calcium to support layers in producing eggs. Layer feed is more convenient, but FR + oyster shell calcium on the side is an excellent alternative. Chickens of all sexes and any age > chick can use the FR + calcium combo. I also recommend the latter alternative, but if you really want to use layer, then get more chick starter so you aren't feeding them too much calcium before they need it.

Finally, when switching to any new type/brand of feed, you should try mixing the two feeds for a while to help them get used to the taste and transition to the new feed.

 

[3KillerBs]

I actually bought chick feed for my flock this week because they were out of the all-flock crumble and I have some chicks not old enough to eat pellets yet.

Chick feed won't hurt older birds, not even the medicated sort.

 

[Alagirl]

I was planning on feeding the calcium on the side.
Kind of like a salad bar: food, grit, oyster shell.....

As of now, those 5 will be it ()
I expect to have way more eggs than we eat as it is. with this bunch - but I can't wait for the laying to commence!
Thank you all for the advice.

 

[Alagirl]

So I went to buy more feed.
it's Tucker Milling.....
And I had no idea it came in 25-pound bags. The 50-pound bag lasted me nearly 2 months.
And I am considering mixing feed up for the transition to new stuff.