Feeding chicks

[Traci V]

How important does everyone think it is to feed chicks the chick starter food until they are 18 weeks old like the directions on the bag say to do? I’ve opened up the chick section of the coop to the main section and now that they have access, I just don’t know how interested they will be to going back and forth between the two areas of the coop to get the chick food any more. My chicks are 8 weeks and 6 1/2 weeks old (two different clutches).

 

[Jmc11]

Layer feed has too much calcium for little ones. I’ve recently got my 2 clutches of now 10 week and 6-7 week olds integrated with my laying hens and just changed the big feeder to chick feed for everyone. My hens have still been laying just fine I do sprinkle some oyster shell around the run for them to grab as they need.

 

[Jmc11]

Best rule of thumb that I have heard is feed everyone by what the youngest in the flock need. You can always supplement to the older ones as needed such as calcium hope that helps

 

[nuthatched]

Layer feed has too much calcium for any non laying birds and usually too low protein for growing babies.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How important does everyone think it is to feed chicks the chick starter food until they are 18 weeks old like the directions on the bag say to do?

The important part of that is that the chicks do not need the amount of calcium in Layer until they are laying. Some studies have shown that feeding chicks or roosters excess calcium can be hard on them. The way any of us get around that when we have laying chickens in the flock that need that much calcium for egg shells and non-laying chickens that don't need it is to feed everyone a low-calcium feed and offer a calcium supplement on the side. I use oyster shells.

Then there is protein content. You can get different opinions on this but I think most of us can agree that baby chicks do better when they are on a fairly high protein content. After that opinions can really vary.

Most chick starter has 18% to 20% protein. That gets them off to a great start, especially helps them feather out faster so they can handle colder temperatures. Some bags of feed will say to feed Starter for 4 weeks, some 8 weeks. This is usually 20% protein feeds. I've seen 18% protein feeds that recommend feeding it until they are 18 weeks old. Some suggest using a 16% protein feed between 4 weeks (or 8 weeks) until you start Layer. Some even recommend a 15% protein developer/finisher feed between 13 weeks until 18 weeks. You can find all kinds of recommendations on feed bags, depending on the brand. This is just for chickens that will make a laying flock. Birds being raised to butcher are fed differently.

Some people have really strong opinions as to how you should feed your chickens. In my opinion getting them off to a good start is important but after that it matters a whole lot less, though I do not feed mine excess calcium unless they are laying.