Feeding Advice Please

[Timmee81]

Hi all.
I was wondering what people would recommend or suggest in regards to feeding.
Should I feed morning and night. I have a feeder so place in for little while then remove and sane again at evening or should I just leave the feeder there permanently in there? What age is good to introduce fresh food and scraps? Is there any preferences for what to introduce them to fresh wise.
What age should I change them from chick crumble to normal pellets also. I know that’s a long way off as they’re 4 weeks old currently but just asking in advance.

 

[Oki&Nawa]

Hello!
I think it is best to leave the feeder there because chickens or chicks eat like monsters and will get hungry very quick. I also suggest you change to crumbles once you see feathers coming in. I usually start feeding them lettuce or bananas at when that happens.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Unless they are Cornish x they should always have feeder access to allow for good growth.

By switching to regular food, if you mean layer feed, the answer depends. If you have cockerels in the group they should never eat layer, so you would switch to all flock with oyster shell on the side. Your feed bag might have instructions to help with that particular brand.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

You can keep them on crumble style all their lives, if you choose. My girls are almost a year old and laying, and I still have them on grower/finisher. At some point, I may switch to all flock, but I won't be feeding them layer at all. Too much calcium forced on them. I have oyster shell offered on the side for them to take as little or as much as they feel they need.

eta... As my girls are older, I take away the feed at night. My feed is outside the coop, in the run, and I don't want to encourage the rodents.

 

[Chicken Whisper101]

I would leave the feeder in their. You can buy 24% feed at your local Tractor Supply. When they are about 10 weeks of age you can now give them grower feed. Grower feed is typically around 15-16% protein.

 

[Welshies]

From the age of 0-14 weeks they should be given 18 or 20% grower. Growing birds should be given feed free choice and even my adult birds get their feed free choice.
Avoid laying pellets. Laying feed that's fed to non-laying birds (think roosters, chicks, non laying hens) can harm them- delay development, cause liver failure, etc. Laying feed also lacks the protein laying birds need. The only difference in laying feed is that it has more calcium.
After 14 weeks of age they should have an 18-22% all flock or maintenance feed with a free choice side of oyster shell.
You can introduce treats (yes, veggies, meat scraps, and scratch are treats) at any age, but when you do, make sure you provide free-choice grit. Granite grit or coarse sand does the trick. Also make sure you know what's poisonous to birds. Make sure treats don't make up more than 10% of all feed given.

 

[Welshies]

I would leave the feeder in their. You can buy 24% feed at your local Tractor Supply. When they are about 10 weeks of age you can now give them grower feed. Grower feed is typically around 15-16% protein.

24% feed is a bit high. If your birds have too much protein while they're growing, they can develop leg and wing problems.