I was wondering if little chicks can eat layer crumbles? What is the difference between starter/grower and layer? Thanks
No they cannot eat layer crumbles, it is too many vitamins for them. The difference between the feeds is how much protein and vitamins are in them, layer has the most because it gives the hen everything it needs to lay, but if fed to a baby chick it could cause blockage in their system.
Use chick starter. The layer feed is only for laying birds because the calcium can cause issues in other birds.
Do not feed your chick layer feed. It could cause problems. Feed chick starter until around 8 weeks, then switch to grower, then when they start laying, you can switch to layer.
I always feed a medicated Chick starter till around 6 weeks and then switch to Grower/Finisher and that's what all my Birds eat their entire lives. For layers I provide oyster shell in a separate dish.
I feed a Medicated Start & Grow 18% to day old chicks through 10 weeks. When bag runs out, I switch to a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower 18% or a Flock Raiser Crumbles 20%. Whichever is Fresher or available when I'm at TSC. I continue to feed either of them after they start to lay. I offer Oyster Shells in a separate container after 16 weeks. The reason I don't feed a 16% layers feed is my first Flock of Golden Comets feather picked when I switched. After 3 bags and Pinless Peepers I switched back to a 18% feed. I have three 34 months old hens and seven 25 weeks old pullets. All but one hen is laying. I got my first 9 egg day last Saturday. . I collected 47 eggs last week. GC
My 20 chicks will arrive on the 20th. They will be inoculated at the hatchery before shipping. Do I still need to feed medicated chick started.
If they are inoculated for Coccidiosis, feeding a Medicated Start & Grow will render the vaccine ineffective, from what I have read. GC