Can chick feed be fed to adults in small amounts?

[Agathe]

My chicks will soon move into the coop with the adults and after integrating they will share feed. I've got grower feed that is supposed to be okay for both and will of course supplement with extra calcium for the adults. I realise though that I'll end up with at least half a bag left of chick feed, and I'm wondering what to do with this. Can I mix it in with their feed just to not have to throw it out, or is that a terrible idea? Or use it for treats? What do you do with extra chick feed? No one to give it away or sell it to either.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Chick feed is fine. It's just higher in protein.

 

[saysfaa]

Yes, and not too high to be a concern for the adults. Fed all the time, it doesn't have enough calcium for layers but otherwise there is no reason not to feed it all the time. Well, and price, maybe, if you fed it all the time.

 

[Agathe]

Awesome, thanks! I thought maybe the high protein could be problematic for adult birds, but then I'll mix the feeds and feed until empty.

 

[Brooks_]

Awesome, thanks! I thought maybe the high protein could be problematic for adult birds, but then I'll mix the feeds and feed until empty.

Not a problem at all. I use a 20% crumble for their entire life. I'd be ok with 22%--going over 24%, I would probably rethink the situation.

 

[YellowRoseFarm]

My chicks will soon move into the coop with the adults and after integrating they will share feed. I've got grower feed that is supposed to be okay for both and will of course supplement with extra calcium for the adults. I realise though that I'll end up with at least half a bag left of chick feed, and I'm wondering what to do with this. Can I mix it in with their feed just to not have to throw it out, or is that a terrible idea? Or use it for treats? What do you do with extra chick feed? No one to give it away or sell it to either.

The advice I was given (and intend to follow) is to add chick crumbles to their food when they're molting. This is supposed to help increase the protein content, which will help regrow feathers quicker. So, yes, chick feed can be fed to adult birds safely.

 

[Brooks_]

The advice I was given (and intend to follow) is to add chick crumbles to their food when they're molting. This is supposed to help increase the protein content, which will help regrow feathers quicker. So, yes, chick feed can be fed to adult birds safely.

Discontinuing layer during molt is a preferred method (for me, if I used layer feed). They need little calcium from molt through winter.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Plenty of us used Starter early in the Pandemic when we couldn't get All Flock. If you set the labels side by side, they are (typically) quite similar.

Here's the DuMor Starter/Grower next to Purina's Flock Raiser (All Flock).
I was looking for my Purina side by side post, can't find it. But in my rarely humble opinion, their flock raiser is superior to their starter for hatchlings. Get crumble.

Look past the description on the bag, go straight for the guaranteed nutrition label. That, and the mill date, are the two most important pieces of info on any bag o feed.