Feed Question

[southpaw2022]

I give my baby chicks under 18 weeks Purina Mills

Start & Grow

SunFresh

Recipe

My baby ducks get Purina Mills

Flock Raiser

SunFresh

Recipe

But I've been told that the chickens can also be on the flock raiser. Thoughts???

Also my older Chickens get a 50-50 mix (I mix the two bags into a barrel) of Purina Mills

Layena

SunFresh

Recipe
and Purina Mills

Scratch Grains SunFresh

Grains
thoughts on this?

Thanks

This is question one of many over the next few days so I can get on the fast track here....

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm not suure what yur talking about chicks? evry thing I've read says to feed them 20% protein feed. Mine are 10 weeks and still on 20%. Chick starter. I'll be watching to see what the experts here say. I do give them lettuce and occasionally bread scraps. But they are mainly on the chick starter. None of the books say when to start them on something else as a main stay . There is a grower that is 15% but I don't know when to start them on this.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
I'm not an expert, but I do have experience, so I'll try.

I keep my chicks on starter until they start laying, then they go to layer pellets. (As soon as they start getting treats, at about 3-4 weeks, they start getting grit, so they can digest the treats.)

Ducks and chicks should not be given the same foods, nutritional differences.

Adult chickens should be on layer feed, with scratch as a treat only.

Hope that helps some, and I can tell you right now that some will disagree!

That's just the way I do it, and I have lost only 3 birds in 16 years- and that was raccoons!

Good luck, fellow chicken farmer! ETA,

 

[southpaw2022]

Quote:
Changed it to say baby chicks..sorry for the confusion

 

[gritsar]

You can feed all of them flock raiser until the point of laying:

http://www.purinamills.com/OurProducts.aspx?product=poultry

I don't mix scratch with my layer feed for two reasons. Number one, the chickens will bill out the layer pellets to get to the scratch, creating waste and number two, scratch is just a treat and shouldn't be a large part of their overall daily intake.

 

[southpaw2022]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times...just call me lazy when it comes to searching for the anwers....sorry..... but why do some posts or threads have chickens or little chicks next to them?


OH NO another dumb newb question lol

 

[southpaw2022]

Quote:
been to that site... done research... but still have conflicting reports. some of the chick starter is medicated... flock raiser supposely has it either medicated or not medicated... chicks supposely need the medicated. They don't see flock raiser medicated near me....

so many issues.... so little time......

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
The ones with the little chicks next to them designate new threads/responses since your last visit.
Regarding medicated feed. It all depends on where you live I guess.
I'm told coccidia is not as much a problem in drier climates. Our climate here is very wet in the springtime and medicated starter is about all you can find.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
That means it has new posts since you looked at that thread.

 

[Spires6]

I have read that you should follow the advice of the feed maker. My brand says 20% chick starter for chicks and ducklings until 16 weeks I think. (I will have to check the bag when I get home to be sure.) Then there is a finisher feed that is lower in protein and then at some point, laying mash.