Food for different ages?

[Micmac1234]

so I’m out of food and heading out to buy more... I have 2 chicks who hatched on April 15th so they’re just shy of 8 weeks, which is when I wanted to switch them to Grower feed. Then I have 6 chicks who hatched around April 5th so they’re ready for Grower. Would it be better to start the younger chicks on grower early or keep the older chicks on starter longer?

 

[Starburst]

so I’m out of food and heading out to buy more... I have 2 chicks who hatched on April 15th so they’re just shy of 8 weeks, which is when I wanted to switch them to Grower feed. Then I have 6 chicks who hatched around April 5th so they’re ready for Grower. Would it be better to start the younger chicks on grower early or keep the older chicks on starter longer?

I personally would recommend putting them on All-Flock...I do think putting your 8 Week olds on Grower should be alright, though...

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I always just feed all flock, to all ages.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know what percent protein your Starter is or the percent protein in your Grower. The percent protein for either can vary based on brand. I don't know what else they are eating as far as foraging or your giving them treats or what the protein content of any forage or treats they get.

I'd be OK giving them a low calcium feed with a protein content anywhere from 16% to 20%, whether you call that a Starter, Grower, Starter-Grower, All-Flock, Flock Raiser, or some other name. The calcium content should be close to 1%, if it is close to 4% that's too much calcium.

 

[nuthatched]

Yep, an all flock feed will be fine.

 

[Micmac1234]

I personally would recommend putting them on All-Flock...I do think putting your 8 Week olds on Grower should be alright, though...

Thank you!!! I did not even know All-Flock was an option and that’s what I grabbed

 

[Micmac1234]

I personally would recommend putting them on All-Flock...I do think putting your 8 Week olds on Grower should be alright, though...

I also realized I’m going to have the same problem when some are old enough to start laying and others aren’t... the oldest are Wyandotte’s and then maybe a week younger at most are two Buff Rocks and the youngest of the bunch are the Whiting True Blues, which are the couple that hatched April 15th.

Would I just start them all on Layer food and have the younger ones on it a little earlier?

 

[Starburst]

I also realized I’m going to have the same problem when some are old enough to start laying and others aren’t... the oldest are Wyandotte’s and then maybe a week younger at most are two Buff Rocks and the youngest of the bunch are the Whiting True Blues, which are the couple that hatched April 15th.

Would I just start them all on Layer food and have the younger ones on it a little earlier?

I wouldn't recommend feeding the younger ones Layer Feed, as the percentage of calcium can be too much for them. You could probably keep your layers on All-Flock until the younger ones are ready to lay and then switch to Layer Feed.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I feed all ages of chickens a Starter-Grower feed 18% Protein with a container of Oyster Shells separately.
My chickens range in age from 19 days to 33 months with 13 months old in between.
I do feed a Medicated Start and Grow 18% for the first 10 weeks, so I currently have two bags of feed.

If you want to switch to a Layers feed, I would wait till one of your Whiting True Blues start laying, or at least one of each breed in case the True Blues are early layers. GC

 

[wyochick10]

I feed Purina Flock Raiser to everyone from day 1 to 3.5 yr olds (the the oldest in my flock right now) I do provide a dish of oyster shell on the side so the ones who need it will have it and the young ones who don’t need it won’t get the extra calcium