Question about Food for 5 week olds

[swift081702]

So, do they need the laying hens need the grower/developer or just stick with starter, until laying?

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Good question!

Its kinda up to you. The starter wont hurt them and the extra protein it contains could be beneficial. The grower feed, on the other hand, is a good choice if you want to dabble with a third feed.

I don't. I suspect most of this stuff is from feed lab folks. Much of the current state of chicken feed and other practice comes from the commercial business, whether we are aware of it or not. For a backyard flock, such a regimented approach is not necessary.

I followed all those rules until one day I decided I didn't want to fool with the intermediate feed. Now, I just feed starter until 16-18 weeks and then switch to layer.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Ummm, no, sorry, this is mistaken. Amprolium is a thiamine blocker. It is not an antibiotic, but sulfa drugs are. There is no problem eating eggs laid by chickens on feed medicated with amprolium.

 

[Babe77]

Okay... So I am going to go back to the store, get some more Medicated Chick Go and then feed until they show me that they are about to start laying eggs (around 18-20 weeks or so) and then switch to the Layer Food... Am I correct in that?

The feed that I already have, Egg 16%, will that last until my girls are at that point (appr 12 weeks) or so?

Thanks for all the help here. The first feed I got Monday was their own brand and it was not crumbles but a crushed, powdery corn that I took back. It seemed to be more wasteful when I figured they would not eat the fine stuff.

 

[Davaroo]

Okay... So I am going to go back to the store, get some more Medicated Chick Go and then feed until they show me that they are about to start laying eggs (around 18-20 weeks or so) and then switch to the Layer Food... Am I correct in that?

Yes

The feed that I already have, Egg 16%, will that last until my girls are at that point (appr 12 weeks) or so?

Keep it cool, dry and covered in a metal can of some kind. It lasts a long time that way.​

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm glad Davaroo answered this. He did a great job and I agree with what he said.

This link talks about feeding chickens and lays it out fairly well.

Oregon State Feeding Chickens
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/pnw/pnw477/#anchor1132074

This is for commercial operations where 1% or 2% difference in efficiency can mean the difference in profit or going broke. For a small backyard flock, whether you feed starter or grower the first 20 weeks will not matter. Just do not feed layer until they start to lay or around 20 weeks and you'll do fine.