How old do chicks have to be...

[allen wranch]

It is better for the hen to have chick starter than the chicks to have layer feed. I have even heard of people feeding all their chickens starter/grower for life. You can put out a bowl of oyster shell (not the same as grit) for the hen and she will eat some if she needs it. The chicks usually leave it alone.

When mama hen free ranges with her babies she shows them all the good things to eat like bugs, greens, dirt, etc. This is good, but the chicks still need the starter/grower available for the additional nutrition. When the chicks reach laying age, have the layer feed available.

When you cut the chick starter with scratch, you dilute the nutritional value in the chick starter. They are eating the corn because it is like candy to them. Scratch is usually fed as a treat and it is OK to throw them a handful every day or so.

From what I have read here, your chicks aren't being harmed. Just a little adjustment is needed to give them the optium benefit for their little bodies.

No one feeds exactly the same way. The longer you have your poultry, the more you will learn what works best for you and your situation.

 

[silkiechicken]

I agree, there is no hard rule on what to feed when. When possible, I go starter for the first two months, grower for another 3 months, then to layer or "flock raiser" with supplemented oyster shell for the hens.

I have raised birds fully on layer, fully on "flock raiser" which is a general game bird feed, and grower with no problems.

 

[4H kids and mom]

Ok, so another bag of starter/grower it is. Also, I'm not feeding scratch to them at all because its just a treat, right? I hear alot of people feed it like as part of their main diet. Should I be? They are just on their starter now, with OCCASIONAL treats of bugs, or hardboiled eggs (always served with a side of grit!) but nothing else. Is that alright?

Let me make sure I have this straight and then we can move on...lol

When I have a hen with chicks in the future, put them all on the chick starter? Then put them all back on layer once the chcks are old enough for it...or take the chicks away around 6-8 weeks (whenever momma's had enough) and put her back on layer, keep the chicks on starter and then switch them to layer later? Is that right? I think I got it, but gotta make sure! lol

 

[bigzio]

Allen is correct and it's best to keep them on either starter or grower till they start to to lay or around 20 weeks old. If you are feeding medicated starter it's best to continue with that.

It's ok for the mother hen to eat the starter, but it's not good for the chicks to eat the calcium that is in the layer feed. It's hard on their young digestive systems.

Mom I think you got it.

bigzio

 

[cookinmom]

Allen is correct and it's best to keep them on either starter or grower till they start to to lay or around 20 weeks old. If you are feeding medicated starter it's best to continue with that.

Thanks for laying that out so straight! This feed thing is kind of confusing! I got it now!​

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
You'd be better off not mixing the scratch with the feed. The chicks need good nutrition to be healthy. Plus they are just wasting your money by billing out the feed to find the scratch. The scratch makes a good treat but not a good diet. Think of it like adding tootsie rolls to your liver & onions. Which would you pick if you were a kid?