question?

[albird101]

So my baby chicks are being shipped whensday and should be here thursday, so I'm going later to buy some chick starter for them, but I had a question I have 8 easter eggers going on there 15th weeks and there surprisingly really small, someone told me I should start them on grower feed already till they lay, so what are your opionions?

 

[Twistedfeather]

You can keep them on chick starter if you want but I think you would want to put them on grower because they need more protein now that they are feathering out

 

[albird101]

You can keep them on chick starter if you want but I think you would want to put them on grower because they need more protein now that they are feathering out

thank you

 

[Chris09]

They need the proteins and energy, so you want to keep them on the starter.
A grower type feed has less protein than a starter.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

X2
It doesn't matter what the name of the feed is (except layer)

What you want to do is check the protein percentage and calcium percentage.
20-24% protein is ideal up to about 6 weeks or so, then you can cut back to about 18%. At 12 weeks or so you can cut back to 15%.
Many people don't have those options. You can start with an 18% start & grow for the duration till beginning layer feed if that's all you have available.


Calcium needs to be about 1% until laying commences then up it to 4% or make sure crushed oyster shell is always available separately.