Confusion over when to switch feeds

[Mitchell Farm]

I have 26 chicks of 10 weeks of age. As a youngster on the farm growing up, we fed our chickens scraps and cracked corn and whatever else they could find free ranging. I am trying to provide my own flock now with proper nutrition. I still have them on 18% crumbles medicated feed and was led to believe that this was the proper feed until about 20 weeks of age when they started laying. The more I read, however, I am not sure if I should put they now on grower type feed of a little less protein. Any help from the experts out there would be much appreciated.

 

[Chick Charm]

18% till 20 weeks or time of lay is what I subscribe to. I has worked out well. I am a free ranger. I don't feed medicated, just my preference. They have just over an acre lawn and this keeps the feed bill down substantially. I guess that my free ranging chickens find more than 2/3 of their diet themselves. I provide feed 24/7 and about a handful of scratch per 2-3 birds daily.

I have family that subscribe to other methods like 50/50 with corn. They have healthy chickens too, I must add. I believe my birds get a little bigger and lay better but they argued otherwise. I like chickens for eggs primarily but also for chicken dinner once in a while.

Wish you the best.

 

[dirtsaver]

Either way is fine. The chicks are old enough to not need the medicated feed now,but the extra protein is still good for them for a while longer. I usually switch all my birds(layers included) to a 18-20% flock raiser type feed when the chicks get close to 16 weeks. Since our Brahmas take longer to start laying(20-26 weeks)and we like to introduce them into the main flock as soon as possible we just put all the girls on the flock raiser and offer oyster shell free choice. Once the younger girls start laying they all go on layer pellets.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mitchell Farm]

Thanks for the reply! I thought I was on the right track, but wanted to make sure. I have a yard attached to my coop that is about 30ft. by 8ft. for 26 chickens. It is not quite the recommended 10sq. feet per bird but is it half roofed and half open. I would like to try to free range some of my flock later on to see if they will return to the coop and not damage my garden. I really want them to be able to provide the bulk of their food from free range and love the idea of truly "organic" chickens and eggs. I have 5 acres on which they could roam, but am worried about predators. We have coyotes, hawks, foxes, skunks, coons and weasels. Not sure how bad it would be to allow them out of thier run as it is pretty much predator proof with hardware cloth totally enclosing the run and buried a foot beneath ground level. Thanks again for the advice. I will continue with my 18% for a while. Take care.

 

[Mitchell Farm]

Thanks for the response...sounds like maybe I am handling the feed issue correctly based on responses received. I will discontinue the medicated feed and continue with the 18% until around 16-18 weeks. Great to have knowledgeable people out there willing to help. Take care.