At what age do you move from starter to developer?

[cleoandtheo]

When they start laying eggs? Or earlier?
Thanks for the help with my rookie questions!!!

 

[underground chickenman]

It depends on the brands and make up of the various feeds. In theory, you start with an 18% feed as a starter and leave them on it until 6 to 8 weeks, then a 15% grower until about 10 weeks, then a 14% developer until their first egg, at which point you switch to a 16% layer. The times and protein percentages are approximate. The problem is not every brand comes in each of these configurations. So, the best policy is to start with a brand you are comfortable with and then follow the brand's recommended schedule for its assortment of feeds until you get a feel for what works well for your birds.

For instance, some people leave them on starter until they start laying and just add calcium, such as free-choice oyster shell. Others do better with the protein adjustments, or some of them, mentioned above. As for brands, some just have a starter/grower and a layer. In other words a two-step process. Just check around and research various brands and what they offer.

Frankly, I think the starter, grower, developer, layer routine is a little overly scientific. Think about chicks born and reared by a hen. I am sure their diet is very varied all the way to adulthood. I bet mama hen isn't measuring protein content at 6, 10 and 20 week intervals.

UGCM

 

[alicefelldown]

Chick starter for the first 5 or 6 weeks, then you can switch them to a "grower" mix. From six to 14 weeks, the ration should contain 17 percent protein. From 15 to 20 weeks, 14 percent protein is sufficient.

When pullets are 18 to 20 weeks old, gradually withdraw the growing mash and replace with laying mash over two weeks. Laying mashes containing 2.5 to 3 percent calcium supply enough calcium, if they constitute the entire ration (no pasture or grain). Growing chickens require only about 1.2 percent calcium in their feed. If you use the higher calcium laying feeds for growing chickens, kidney damage can result.

 

[underground chickenman]

Something else to consider....feeding chickens isn't solely about their stage of development. Other factors are at play. For instance, I have found that in our hot and humid Florida weather, my hens do better on a higher protein diet. Under those conditions, chickens eat less. If you have hearty laying breeds like I do (red and black sex links will lay under almost any conditions), they still need protein to output protein (eggs). Since they eat less in the heat, their feed needs to have higher percentage of protein. If it doesn't, they start picking and eating feathers. You can cite the general rule that a layer ration is 16% until the chickens come home, but mine do so much better on 18%. That's an example of something I have learned by researching and observing my own chickens.

In other words, it's fine to start with the general rules, and the feeds available for various growth stages are a decent starting point, but contrary to what the chicken feed industry would have you believe (if the only thing you read is their bag labels and instructions) feeding chickens requires consideration of more factors than just their stage of growth.

UGCM

 

[myway57]

i have 20 at about 10 weeks old that are FAST out growing there little pen. I am going to have to put them in with my 1 yr old hens soon. I will have to let them eat the layer feed because there is no way I can feed them apart. i get all kinds of answers on what to feed. But if momma hen had chicks they would be having same food as momma.

 

[alicefelldown]

Quote:
Which is why websites like http://www.lionsgrip.com/intro.html are immensely helpful in learning what to feed your birds and why.

 

[digitS']

I don't know for sure what the big poultry outfits do but I've had a hog farmer tell me that feed formulas may change on a weekly basis. They really do have it down to a science and that's the only way they can make money.

Obviously, we aren't in the same league . . . maybe, that's "fortunately, we aren't in the same league."

Many of us consider ourselves lucky to have a couple of feed formulas to chose from.

Physically, there are a lot of changes going on with these birds in a very short amount of time. Imagine if humans went from "just hatched" to mothers in 6 months!

Steve

 

[Whitewater]

Thanks for the URL! I found it very helpful as it talks about the basics of chicken feeding, great for a new chicken raiser like myself. One thing they talk about that I hadn't seen elsewhere is the use of kelp as a supplement. Kelp might be pretty hard to find here in the great midwest, but perhaps a co-op or health food store might have some dried, somewhere.

Based on all this information, when we get our 15 week old Australorp pullets, does this mean that I should be feeding them a grower sort of thing, if I can find it? I was going to put them on Layena pellets once they start laying -- in the meantime, they will need the 'grower' sort of feed, right? Shouldn't be a problem, I believe the Tractor Supply Co near me has something of the sort. Yep, I just checked, something called 'Flock Raiser' by Purina, which is 20% protein. Anybody heard of it?

For my 15 week olds (who will get to roam my backyard, but only 1 or 2x/day) I know extra calcium won't be necessary until they start to lay, but should I get some grit as a supplement, just in case?

And what about kitchen scraps and flax seeds and so on? Should I wait until they start laying to give them that stuff? Or will they be old enough to handle it when we take them home?


Whitewater (who doesn't want to accidentally hurt or neglect the birds!)

 

[alicefelldown]

One thing they talk about that I hadn't seen elsewhere is the use of kelp as a supplement. Kelp might be pretty hard to find here in the great midwest, but perhaps a co-op or health food store might have some dried, somewhere.
* I wouldn't worry about Kelp - your girls will do superbly without it!

Based on all this information, when we get our 15 week old Australorp pullets, does this mean that I should be feeding them a grower sort of thing, if I can find it? I was going to put them on Layena pellets once they start laying -- in the meantime, they will need the 'grower' sort of feed, right? Shouldn't be a problem, I believe the Tractor Supply Co near me has something of the sort. Yep, I just checked, something called 'Flock Raiser' by Purina, which is 20% protein. Anybody heard of it?
* Flock Raiser is good if you have the $$ for it. Some markets have it cheaper than others - you know how it is

Flock Raiser (or similar) is also a good choice if you have roosters. The extra calcium in Layer feed can be detrimental to their health. If you stay with flock raiser (or similar) make sure you provide free choice calcium, your girls will know to supplement their diet with it.

For my 15 week olds (who will get to roam my backyard, but only 1 or 2x/day) I know extra calcium won't be necessary until they start to lay, but should I get some grit as a supplement, just in case?
* If they are roaming your backyard they will be OK without the grit. They will eat tiny rocks and whatnot on their own as they forage.

And what about kitchen scraps and flax seeds and so on? Should I wait until they start laying to give them that stuff? Or will they be old enough to handle it when we take them home?
* They will be old enough. Nothing to worry about there. You'll soon find yourself asking for a doggy bag when you go out to take home the little scraps of leftovers just to give them more treats. If you are "cruel" like me, you'll have lots of fun tossing tomato slices or spaghetti onto their backs just to watch them run around eating off each other.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

As far as feeding and finding kelp, for those of you who feel that the complete feeds do not provide enough minerals and are not able to free range, kelp is an excellent mineral supplement. We have a landscape company and grow organic produce for farmers markets and we have found the best place is the wholesale landscape fertilizer houses. The majority of their products are chemicals but most have an organic section. It is fine to cross over as a feed supplement. Most of them you do not need a business license. You will have to purchase in 50# bags and for smaller flocks it will last you a very long time but you can use it in your garden soil also. I even feed it to the horses. For the chickens all I do is throw a handfull in their food once in a while. I'm not very scientific about it. It is also very expensive even in 50# bags but a little goes a long way. Fifty # bags is definately the cheapest route. For the gardeners out there I use it in an organic fertilzer. A good mix is 4 parts cottonseed meal, 1 part lime, 1 part rock phosphate and 1 part kelp. Liquid kelp is also very useful for starting seeds in the greenhouse. It helps prevent damping off and makes the plants more resistant to diseases. Just thought I would share and hope this info is useful to some.