feeding?!?

[ChickenChik]

When do you stop using chick starter? Also, does everyone use flock raiser?

 

[Smoky73]

chick starter is generally used until they are 6 weeks old, then they can go to a grower feed...flock raiser can do. You can feed flock raiser at any time really< I do it when I am not in breeding season, I generally do not feed layer, only because I do not care how many eggs my birds lay, unless like I said its breeding season, in which case I feed Purina GameBird Layena.

 

[Amiga]

I started switching my ducklings from starter crumbles to grower pellets between two and three weeks of age. I included about 20% by volume rolled oats (not instant).

The grower ration is also a maintenance ration, which they still eat, and I give them oyster shell free choice and a handful or two of dry cat kibble for extra protein and calories now that they are beginning to lay (about three of my eleven are laying).

They also get salads, peas (in limited quantities), slugs and bugs.

 

[ChickenChik]

I was told to feed them chicken scratch but I don't know about that.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, I would not feed them chicken scratch.

 

[Amiga]

I have used Nutrena duck grower/maintenance ration, then when I could not get that, switched to blue seal poultry grower/maintenance feed. I have considered using half layer rations as well, but we seem to be doing very well with the free choice oyster shell, and greens, and whatever bugs they can catch.

Sometimes I turn them out in the garden beds to forage there.

I think chicken scratch is just not a good balanced diet. Perhaps if they needed some extra calories in winter, in addition to a balanced ration, I might think about it, but cat kibble works fine and I think it has nutritional advantages.