Chick or Chicken feed?

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

At what age should young birds graduate to the big bird feed?

 

[PD-Riverman]

If you are talking about to "layer" I wait until I see the first egg from the same age flock and then I mix in about 50/50 with their present feed and layer, then the next bag will be all Layer.

 

[blackdog043]

You can also keep them on, starter/grower or all flock and have oyster shell in a separate container, for the layers. If you have a mixed age flock or want to introduce new chicks this is a good way to do it.

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

Chicks don't have special nutritional needs?

 

[Leigti]

I feed my chicks chick starter until they are eight weeks old and then they and all the other chickens get grower feed. I have oyster Shell on the side.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Chicks don't have special nutritional needs?

Of course they do! When it comes to feeding them a lot of people have different situations and different feeding "ways". Some free range and some don't, some feed their flock all kinds of treats and some give theirs no treats. I never have my chicks mixed with the flock so they get 20% chick starter, then move to 15% grower, then when they start laying they get 16% layer. Some have their chicks with the flock from the beginning and have to feed a feed that works for them all--old and young. Some years back when I did have the chicks mixed with the flock I had a feeding area for them---that the older chickens could not get into and the "chicks" got their chick feed. You do your home-work and you do/feed what you feel is best for your flock with your situation.