Chicken Feed

[mimi2012]

I currently have 2 chicks that is 5 and 4 weeks old.
But the chick starter feed is almost gone (just a day more until it's gonna be empty)

I know you're supposed to give them the grower feed when they get to 6 weeks.
But I think it's a waste of money if I buy another bag of starter feed just for them to eat only for 1 or 2 more weeks.
　　　→　More than half of the bag will definitely be leftovers. (Then, I'd have to throw them away

)

Do you think it's okay to give them the grower feed even if they're only 4 weeks and 5 weeks old?
Will it affect them in any way?

 

[Ridgerunner]

It really does not matter. I don't know which Starter you are using or what the percent protein is in it, but I'd go ahead and switch to Grower.

People get hung up on this type of thing but they really don't need to. The general idea is to feed them a little higher protein the first 4 to 8 weeks to help them feather out, then cut back to a lower protein feed so their skeleton and internal organs can grow and mature without their muscles growing at a faster pace or them putting on too much fat. But this can be a pretty wide range.

I personally don't like to feed them anything more than a 20% protein feed after that bag of Starter runs out somewhere between 4 to 8 weeks, but it really makes no significant difference if the percent protein is 15%, 20%, or somewhere in between. They will develop just fine. And it really does not matter if that switch is at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, somewhere in between, or even a bit longer.

I would switch to the Grower when the Starter runs out. They will be OK.

 

[donrae]

Exactly what he said.