Now what do I feed them?!

[Buff Chick]

Is it just me or is there a grey area on what to feed your chicks at 6 weeks when it is recommended to stop feeding starter ration.
I have a flock of 18 dual purpose breeds, I know I would like to concentrate more on them laying eggs than for meat, but I've read I shouldn't start giving them a layer ration until they start laying. So what do I feed them now that they are 6 weeks and obviously not laying yet? Please help!

 

[Bethel3330]

Grower or "all flock". And you can keep feeding that if you like, with oyster shell on the side if you keep roos or mix in more chicks later.
And if you still have starter left you can keep feeding that until you empty the bag. Hope that helps!

 

[Bethel3330]

And welcome to BYC btw!

 

[Wol1]

Welcome

Starter/Grower or Grower/Finisher or Grower/Developer

According to the Merck Manual white egg layers (brown egg layers in percentages), ages 6-12 weeks need a complete balanced commercial feed (to get the othere miscellaneous vitamins) with 15% (15%) protein and a calcium level of .8; 12-18 weeks, 14% (14%) and .8; and 18 weeks to first egg, 17% (16%) and 2.0 (1.8) calcium. The table lists layer ration protein and nutrients based on amount of feed consumed. My 12 dual purpose birds (brown egg layers) go through a 50 lb bag of feed in 3 weeks during summer, which is about .19 lb (80 grams) per day. At laying age, for brown egg layers eating 80 grams/day: 22% protein and 5% calcium. Adult white egg layers eating the same amount: 18.8% protein and 4.12 calcium used to feed them according to labels and only recently learned while researching what to feed my roosters that brown egg layers need more protein and calcium than white egg layers. So, based on feed packages I've been feeding my birds an inadequate diet all this time.

I hunted down a 20% layer feed at a small local feed store a few weeks ago..

If you would like to see the details, you can find these tables at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...ltry/nutritional_requirements_of_poultry.html

PS: They don't have nutritional guidelines for roos.

 

[rc4u]

the game bird feed has all the nutriuents that the others do when i cmpare labels, just more protein and they will grow faster..i never have had a problem with mine. and i like they grow faster..jeff