How much chick starter feed?

[emorems0]

Getting things ready for when our chicks hatch in a few weeks and trying to decide what kind and how much chick starter feed to buy. The chicks will not be vaccinated, so it's best to get medicated feed, right? Any particular recommended brands? Was looking at the DuMOR brand from TSC but it doesn't look like it's medicated? This one seems good... but more expensive http://www.amazon.com/F-M-Browns-Na...1401469320&sr=1-6&keywords=chick+starter+feed

Chicks will should get starter feed for the first 2 months or so, right? How much do you typically go through in that time (with say 6-12 chicks)? I know they'll poop in it and spill it and kick litter into it so I'll need to change it often (every day? twice a day?). Not sure if I should get a smaller 5-10lb bag of feed or a bigger 20lb bag. I don't want to get too much, but it is more economical to get one big bag vs several smaller ones.

Melissa

 

[gander007]

Getting things ready for when our chicks hatch in a few weeks and trying to decide what kind and how much chick starter feed to buy. The chicks will not be vaccinated, so it's best to get medicated feed, right? Any particular recommended brands? The DuMOR brand from TSC okay?

Chicks will should get starter feed for the first 2 months or so, right? How much do you typically go through in that time (with say 6-12 chicks)? I know they'll poop in it and spill it and kick litter into it so I'll need to change it often (every day? twice a day?). Not sure if I should get a smaller 5-10lb bag of feed or a bigger 20lb bag. I don't want to get too much, but it is more economical to get one big bag vs several smaller ones.

Melissa

Chicks really do not like the taste of Medicated chick feed so I mix it 50 50 for better feed consumption and chick starter and a 50 pound bag is what I get and do not forget to use Probiotic and Electrolyte in the water and by the end of week one try giving them a hard boiled egg a day and watch them grow ....

 

[Folly's place]

What kind of chicks? You can figure 2.5 to 3.0 lbs. of feed per lb. of weight gain; that's what I use as a very rough guide. You don't want to store feed for long, especially in summer heat, as quality doesn't improve with time. Medicated starter for maybe 6 to 8 weeks, then flock raiser until 5 to 6 months, or pullets laying eggs well. Ten chicks to two lbs. apiece is twenty to thirty lbs. of starter; then ten chicks to six lbs. apiece will be about another 100 lbs. or more of grower. Buy big bags of feed! Mary

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have found that the 25 pound bags of starter that Purina sells work well for me when I'm raising just a few chicks. They go through it fast enough that it doesn't sit around and get stale like a larger bag would. And to be honest I've never seen a difference in how much they eat whether it's medicated or not so I really doubt they can taste the amprolium in the medicated. Feeding medicated feed is a crap shoot anyway as they can still come down with coccidiosis, though it certainly doesn't hurt anything. So no matter what you feed you need to be well versed on the first symptoms of it, keep Corid on hand when raising chicks, and be ready to treat asap if you see signs.

As for how long to feed starter? You can switch to grower at 6 to 8 weeks or you can just feed starter right up until point of lay, it really doesn't matter. Don't over think it and get all tangled up over when to switch from this feed to that feed. When you start getting eggs you can switch to layer.

 

[emorems0]

Not sure how many chicks I'll end up with, but I'm starting with 19 eggs - 12 black australorp (shipped - and held up by the USPS for an extra day, grr), 6 RIR (one with a small crack), and one random yokohama (RIRs and yokohama local). Expecting to have maybe 10-12 chicks?

 

[emorems0]

Oh, and regarding probiotics... do I need to get something specifically for chicks, or can I just give them some yogurt as a treat?

 

[cafarmgirl]

I don't give probiotic's unless I start seeing pasty butt. Then I use the Save-A-Chick packets just because it's easy to add to their water but there are other powdered probiotic's that can be added to the water also. For me that's less messy then feeding yogurt. Buttermilk is a better source of probiotic's then yogurt but again, probably pretty messy when feeding to chicks lol.

 

[Pinkaboo]

I don't give probiotic's unless I start seeing pasty butt.  Then I use the Save-A-Chick packets just because it's easy to add to their water but there are other powdered probiotic's that can be added to the water also.  For me that's less messy then feeding yogurt.   Buttermilk is a better source of probiotic's then yogurt but again, probably pretty messy when feeding to chicks lol. 

I think pasty butt must very an American thing, the locals keep laughing at me when I mention it,
I live in very rural area and the farmers all think I'm mad with my chickens

 

[iPeanut1990]

I'm feeding mine DuMor starter/grower and they seem to like it. They'v never had anything else though. They're 1 week old now.