Manna Pro organic grower feed

[chickiema]

I currenty have my 5 week old Black Austrolorp chicks on Manna Pro Organic feed- when is a good time to switch to grower feed? I can't seem to find a Manna Pro Organic grower feed does anyone have an ideas on another brand of organic grower feed? I want to keep my chicks away from GMO and stay organic. Is it ok to keep the chicks on chick starter until they start laying or would mixing layer and chick starter work better?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You can keep them on starter for their whole lives but when they get to be about 8 weeks old I'd start mixing in some scratch or birdseed (be sure to offer grit or see that they are free ranging for grit) to get your protein levels down some to 17% or so. This is hailed as important to prevent reproductive problems, I have read. There are of course people who keep them on 20% protein their whole lives but I like to have it a bit lower.

Your starter is likely 20% protein, and millet in birdseed is 11%, black oil sun. seeds are 16%. Corn is 7-9% and wheat is around 12-14% usually.

You can switch them to layer when they are around 20 weeks of age or when they start laying. Put some oyster shell out for them around that time, even if you start them on layer feed.

Layer feed should never be fed to chicks due to the high calcium. It isn't good for roosters either. You can just keep them on unmedicated chick starter or some other high protein feed forever, giving some other mixed grains/seeds (make sure they are getting greens such as grass or alfalfa/vegetable scraps year-round to prevent vitamin deficiencies) to round out the diet, if you wish.

When they are at the point of lay I like to have the protein level around 16% if possible. That
is usually what layer feed is.

Enjoy your chickens!

 

[GreenLove]

I can't seem to find a Manna Pro Organic grower feed

You can't find it because unfortunately they don't make it. I had the same problem and decided to call the number on the bag. They informed me that they were in the process of formulating a grower feed and that it will probably take at least a year from now to get on the shelf (why would you make a starter and a layer, but no grower

???) They did say however, that I could just keep them on the starter until they were ready to lay. She said some of the customers were doing that, but I think the protein is a bit high for that so I just mixed in some whole grains (red winter wheat, oat groats) to lower it. My 24 mixed breed flock are now 14 weeks old and seem to be doing fine with it (fingers crossed). They are free ranged, so I really can't say how much protein they are truly getting because they eat lots of grass, weeds, bugs, herbs, mealworms, fruit, veggies etc. I know this thread is old but thought I would chime in so that maybe it would help someone else who was having a hard time finding this particular brand.