13 weeks. what to feed now?

[silkiechick05]

My chicks are about thirteen weeks, and are currently on medicated starter/grower.

The bag is almost gone, so i was wonder what to feed next...

 

[canada-goose]

Grower.

 

[silkiechick05]

Quote:
is that the same thing as starter/grower (what i have been feeding them)

i am using purina, so they have leyena, flock something, and scratch, which is a treat i guess.

 

[gritsar]

If you can find seperate grower, I would go with that. If all that's available is starter/grower (a combo.) than they can stay on that until 18 to 20 weeks, or when you get your first egg; whichever comes first.
Then you would switch to them to the Layena (purina brand), layer feed. If you really want them off of the medicated feed and your feed store doesn't carry a seperate grower, you can switch them to the flock raiser.
Scratch is a treat. It's like chicken candy. They will love it as a snack before bedtime. Just toss a couple handfuls on the ground for them to "scratch" for.

 

[silkiechick05]

Quote:
I am getting a new chicken monday, and want them to have all the protection possible. that's why i was considering doing medicated again...

 

[Galaxiedriver]

We switched ours from Purena medicated starter to Layena at about 19 weeks. I mixed the first bag of Layena half and half with the medicated starter so they would not have a sudden switch in food. Just seemed to me to be better to make a slow transition rather than an immediate switch.

Got our first egg at 21 weeks.

I don't know if we did everything right, or were just lucky. Every day I see posts here by folks who's birds are not laying at 25 weeks and up. We are at 25 weeks and getting 17 eggs from 20 pullets. We are very attentive to never let them be without food or fresh water.

Ours are not free range but have a 400 sq ft run that they have stripped of all vegetation. I plan on building a bigger run in the spring, or build a second one so we can rotate them to let the vegetation recover.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I am getting a new chicken monday, and want them to have all the protection possible. that's why i was considering doing medicated again...

I would just leave them on the Purina Start and Grow then. They can eat that until they get to laying age, around 18 to 20 weeks.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
I also feed my start and grow except I use non-med. the bag tells you to feed them up 18 weeks then switch to Layena. I've switched them as early as 15wks though due to putting them in big coop. They do fine.

 

[silkiechick05]

Okay. I will keep them on start/grow for another couple weeks, then mix it with layena and gradually make the switch.

 

[Bedste]

I feed mine medicated start and grow for the first 8-10weeks and then
I feed them plain chick Grow from 10-26 weeks or whenever they start laying
I change them to laying pellets as soon as they lay

I give chicken scratch like candy ..... once or twice a week unless we are able to free range

I give the chickens table scraps occasionally.... and scrambled eggs about twice a week.

I also collect all eggshells and bake them at 350 for an hour when I get a bunch..... and then crumble them and offer them as a side dish for the laying pullets.....

too much calcium can hurt chickens who are not laying yet..... but it is never too early to start saving the eggshells.... they are a favorite....... and go fast.