feed question

[luieua]

my chicks are a week old. when do I change their food?

 

[junebuggena]

They can stay on medicated feed for about 3 months. It contains a thiamine blocker, fed long term may cause thiamine deficiency. They can eat unmedicated starter for their entire lives. Layer feed should only be offered to actively laying birds.

 

[Kiki]

Change their food from what to what?

What are you currently feeding them?

 

[drumstick diva]

It's also best not to start feeding them all sorts of table foods etc for treats. Chicks are like kids, they will always prefer treats over a nutritional meal. When they are older - treats should not be more than 10% of their diet.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and

! Pleased you joined our community! I think it is recommended that they eat chick feed until they begin to lay, then switch to a layer ration. Something about kidney trouble if you put them on layer too quickly. Best wishes!

 

[zephyricle]

I second the chick feed for 9 weeks or 3 months. You should change the feed to a flock raiser or grower feed until about 16 weeks or 5 months- 5 1/2 months then start on a layer. Grower feed gives the juveniles the things they need without the extra calcium in layer feed. If they get layer feed too soon it could hurt their kidneys and that's never fun.

 

[Lucyluvchickens]

You should maybe not change their feed until there about fully feathered, they need the medicated feed because it gives extra protein to grow the feathers and their pretty plumage.
That's why when your chickens molting, you should get feather fixer because it gives extra protein so they have the strength to grow back the feathers. So to answer your question, you should feed them the medicated feed until there are about fully feathered and then start mixing in the regular feed.

 

[junebuggena]

Medicated feed does not provide more protein. Medicated feed helps to protect against coccidiosis. Unmedicated starter should have the same amount of protein.

 

[Lucyluvchickens]

That's at least what I do, my chicks usually like to play and pick at the other chicken's food

 

[Lucyluvchickens]

That's true, it does, but it also has more protein levels so they have more protein and strength to grow all their feathers and grow up.