No Chick starter?

[Yardmom]

Some all flock such as Purina flock raiser crumbles includes chicks when the say all flock. I have not done any research, but I have been giving my chicks all flock. The ducklings definitely benefit from it, and the chicks seem to do well. My birds also free range.
Many people feed their hens a layer feed which includes more calcium than starter. The extra calcium has been found to build up over time and can cause internal damage. (Many people have fed layer to their chicks all along without signs of problems.)

 

[Hennyfromdblock]

Some all flock such as Purina flock raiser crumbles includes chicks when the say all flock. I have not done any research, but I have been giving my chicks all flock. The ducklings definitely benefit from it, and the chicks seem to do well. My birds also free range.
Many people feed their hens a layer feed which includes more calcium than starter. The extra calcium has been found to build up over time and can cause internal damage. (Many people have fed layer to their chicks all along without signs of problems.)

Good to know! if you were to do research what would you look for? I would love to look into it as well but To my knowledge I have no clue on what is good for them (ratio wise) all the percentages shown on the nutritional info. Throw me off. It would be awesome to be able to use that kind of all flock without overthinking if I’m harming them (chicks) I used to tend to overthink what feed to buy but luckily I haven’t had any issues with what I offer.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don't use chick starter. and for most backyard owners, with most management practices, under most conditions, I recommend all flock/flock raiser with free choice oyster shell for all birds of all genders at all ages.

In some cases, the brand's "All Flock" is a superior feed to their Starter, nutritionally (and somewhat counter intuitively). Howver, if you need a feed with a coccidiastat (Amprolium, here in the US, most often) you are FAR more likely to find it on the shelf in a starter "medicated" than in an All Flock.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

My broody raised get what ever the flock eats.

My incubated/hatched chicks get starter because I am lazy. I dont want to mess with making sure they have grit. Its just simple to keep their starter feeder full and plenty of water available.

When they finish the bag, they are done. Don't much matter if they are 3 weeks or 3 months. My hatched chicks are also on dirt within a week or so of hatching.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good to know! if you were to do research what would you look for? I would love to look into it as well but To my knowledge I have no clue on what is good for them (ratio wise) all the percentages shown on the nutritional info. Throw me off. It would be awesome to be able to use that kind of all flock without overthinking if I’m harming them (chicks) I used to tend to overthink what feed to buy but luckily I haven’t had any issues with what I offer.

I've been summoned! Wahaahahaaahaahahaa!

OK, all foolishness aside, there are LOTS of studies you can read, many are free and take just a quick search. However, I suggest you start with the USDA/NRCS summary of the studies they reviewed and digested for our use (bibliography at the bottom - I've located and read about half those - the summary is consistent with their individual findings). Its not cutting edge, but its definitely good enough for the very vast majority of owners, and almost certainly bnetter than the knowledge at your typical farm/feed store. You can also check with your local Extension, where you will find largely similar info (here is UGA's, for instance), though often repackaged in ways which may be more, or less, useful to you.

Not that when you get down into the weeds of indivudual %s of this or that, you are likely to find some amount of disagreement between sources. Best you accept a range of "acceptable" and learn to live with a little uncertainty. The studies these numbers are based on are ofen older, and primarily concerned with commercial hens, commercial management, commercial conditions - differences in breed, study methodology, and means of measurement (particularly re: Amino Acids) account for a lot of the variation - but you also should consider the study goals.

What Tyson or ConAgra or Eggland's Best wants out of a bird is helpful to us backyard owners, but not not definitive. A white leghorn's nutritional needs, at lowest possible cost, for its most productive year before becoming poultry by-product meal is a floor for the needs of a bird we plan on keeping as a pet and (incidentally) and egg layer as part of our backyard flock for 5+ years. Similarly, a Cx or Lohman Brown has different needs than the (poorly studdied) bantam frizzle in your egglu coop and run...

tl;dr - this is really good data, but you need to understand how best to use it. Oh, and of course this assumes US. If you have special needs (say, you are in the mid East or the EU, different feed mixes and calciums are likely available, we can help with some of the cutting edge studies they are doing on the local ingredients, and help you apply this info to your situation).

Hope that helps!

 

[Hennyfromdblock]

My broody raised get what ever the flock eats.

My incubated/hatched chicks get starter because I am lazy. I dont want to mess with making sure they have grit. Its just simple to keep their starter feeder full and plenty of water available.

When they finish the bag, they are done. Don't much matter if they are 3 weeks or 3 months. My hatched chicks are also on dirt within a week or so of hatching.

Love your honesty. Sometimes I don’t follow the “rules” either. The way I see it in certain situations is If it works , it works

 

[Hennyfromdblock]

I've been summoned! Wahaahahaaahaahahaa!

OK, all foolishness aside, there are LOTS of studies you can read, many are free and take just a quick search. However, I suggest you start with the USDA/NRCS summary of the studies they reviewed and digested for our use (bibliography at the bottom - I've located and read about half those - the summary is consistent with their individual findings). Its not cutting edge, but its definitely good enough for the very vast majority of owners, and almost certainly bnetter than the knowledge at your typical farm/feed store. You can also check with your local Extension, where you will find largely similar info (here is UGA's, for instance), though often repackaged in ways which may be more, or less, useful to you.

Not that when you get down into the weeds of indivudual %s of this or that, you are likely to find some amount of disagreement between sources. Best you accept a range of "acceptable" and learn to live with a little uncertainty. The studies these numbers are based on are ofen older, and primarily concerned with commercial hens, commercial management, commercial conditions - differences in breed, study methodology, and means of measurement (particularly re: Amino Acids) account for a lot of the variation - but you also should consider the study goals.

What Tyson or ConAgra or Eggland's Best wants out of a bird is helpful to us backyard owners, but not not definitive. A white leghorn's nutritional needs, at lowest possible cost, for its most productive year before becoming poultry by-product meal is a floor for the needs of a bird we plan on keeping as a pet and (incidentally) and egg layer as part of our backyard flock for 5+ years. Similarly, a Cx or Lohman Brown has different needs than the (poorly studdied) bantam frizzle in your egglu coop and run...

tl;dr - this is really good data, but you need to understand how best to use it. Oh, and of course this assumes US. If you have special needs (say, you are in the mid East or the EU, different feed mixes and calciums are likely available, we can help with some of the cutting edge studies they are doing on the local ingredients, and help you apply this info to your situation).

Hope that helps!

Very informative! Thank you I highly appreciate your feedback

 

[azygous]

Some years back, I needed some chick starter because it appeared my broody was going to have a successful hatch. I went to the feed store and picked up a small bag of chick starter. I had a sudden attack of curiosity, wondering how starter differed from the Purina all flock feed I had plenty of at home.

Comparing the ingredients tag on the sew tape, I discovered something that really didn't surprise me at all. The ingredients of chick starter and the ingredients in Flock Raiser were identical except the chick starter had a little less protein.

I left the store without buying starter and have been feeding all flock to my new baby chicks ever since. No, there have been absolutely zero consequences. The chicks grow at a normal rate, do not become too heavy before their skeletal frames mature, and there have been zero long term consequences from "too much protein", all flock having 20% protein which is within safe parameters for developing poultry.

 

[Hennyfromdblock]

Some years back, I needed some chick starter because it appeared my broody was going to have a successful hatch. I went to the feed store and picked up a small bag of chick starter. I had a sudden attack of curiosity, wondering how starter differed from the Purina all flock feed I had plenty of at home.

Comparing the ingredients tag on the sew tape, I discovered something that really didn't surprise me at all. The ingredients of chick starter and the ingredients in Flock Raiser were identical except the chick starter had a little less protein.

I left the store without buying starter and have been feeding all flock to my new baby chicks ever since. No, there have been absolutely zero consequences. The chicks grow at a normal rate, do not become too heavy before their skeletal frames mature, and there have been zero long term consequences from "too much protein", all flock having 20% protein which is within safe parameters for developing poultry.

Thank you! I’m glad I asked and didn’t stay with the doubt. I love how in every category on here there’s a different answer, different how everyone raise their flock. So many new things to learn .

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also use an all flock feed from the start... ironically my chicks don't actually get starter feed until about 2 weeks old, when they start getting a little time with the adults (and the adults are eating it too). This is due to the size of the starter feed I use (the all flock crumble is smaller and easier for them to eat.)