Confusion about chicken starter food & raising food

[dulcimer lady]

Hi ~ I'm new here and am raising my first small flock of 6 chickens. They are approx. 3 weeks old right now. I've heard different things from different sources as to what to feed and when. One source said to start raising food at this point. Other places I've read say that I should mix the chicken starter food and raising food, raising the percentage of raising food over time until they are switched completely over to the raising food. Other places have said to just continue with the chicken starter until it runs out and then start the raising food. Which would take me quite a while as my TSC only sells the stuff in 50 pound bags and I've only got 6 chicks and they've barely made a dent in it. I absolutely hate wasting things, so I'm hoping there is some use for the rest of this sack of feed.

Also, if I do need to switch over to the raising food, do I also start giving them grit? Maybe parakeet grit? I've heard SOOOOO many differing opinions on when to start grit, I just don't know which way to go with it.

Would appreciate any help you can give, thanks. ~~

 

[acid_chipmunk]

I am not sure what "raising" food is. My babies start out on Purina Start and Grow and eat that until it is gone. I am just now finishing a 25 pound bag and I got my first chicks this year on March 11. I got 6 chicks to start and 5 more a week later and have been adding steadily since then. I am up to 22 chicks right now. Once they got big enough to fly out of the brooder, I switched them to Purina Flock Raiser, as I have ducks and meat birds also and it is eaiser to buy one kind of food instead of 3. Right now I only have my week and a half old Cochins and Bantam Ameraucanas on the Start and Grow. I am going to have to buy a small bag of it to give them for the next couple weeks, as I am getting some Speckled Sussex this week and they will need it. Once they are a few weeks old and can eat the Flock Raiser, everyone will be on it.

As for the grit. They only need grit if they are eating something other than the starter food. I wouldn't use the parakeet grit, as it has calcium in it that can hurt their kidneys until they are of laying age. If you think they need grit, get chick grit, it is smaller than regular poultry grit.

 

[UrbanEgg]

I was told to do chick starter until 8 weeks (or later if you still have some left to use it up) and then its ok to switch to flock raiser...then to laying when they are laying age. But it not going to hurt the chicks to be on starter longer. My local feed store doesn't even sell raiser--just medicated chick starter and laying feed, so my chicks last year were on starter until they laid, then on laying. This year I'm mixing ages so I put everyone on flock raiser with free choice oyster shell (for the hens for the calcium).

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

It states on the back of the bag of nutrena starter/grower to feed them starter grower till they are 4-6 weeks of age after that they should be on grower/finisher mine are well past the age it states and I am feeding mine til it is gone the starter/grower then I will switch up. They still are healthy and growing like wild flowers so I belive you are safe until it is gone as for the swithing don't worry they will eat it without any worry they are little pigs with feathers if it's something they like they will eat it belive that.
When you switch up though try to feed them in the same area and/or container this way they will know it is there food and they will eat it without missing a beat I switched my container 3 times now (going bigger each time) and each time they went right to it because it was always in the same area.


As for grit you should feed it to them starting at day 3 so you may give them treats some feed stores sell starter grit so check with them first, after they go into the big coop what I do is take and throw the grit (couple handfuls worth) on the ground of the run this way I know they are getting the grit they need and they think they found themselves lol as for the OS I will place it on free choice at first and if that doen't work it will go into there feed.

Good luck to you I hope this helps.

 

[elmo]

Some of the confusion comes because different brands of feeds are formulated differently, so come with different feeding directions. Your best bet would be to read the directions on the package of feed you're using carefully, or check the manufacturer's website for information about your specific feed.

The feed I use (Countryside Naturals) only comes in two formulations: broiler (an unfortunate choice of name) and layer. The broiler is for chickens before the age where they start to lay. It has higher protein and no added calcium. For very young chicks, they grind it finer than they do for the older birds. The layer has lower protein and calcium supplementation.

The other issue to consider is whether you want to feed your chicks medicated feed. I didn't.

As far as grit goes, chicks will only need this if they are eating tougher, fibrous foods. If all you are feeding is chicken feed or very soft treats, they won't need it.