Starter Feed ???

[Jersey Boy]

As Ridgerunner explained you can feed them chick starter until they are 18 weeks or first egg without changing to grower feed as long as its not medicated chick starter like the pic shows. Then transition to layer when you see your first egg.

 

[brooklynchicks]

so what would i be able to feed them when they are off their starter feed? right now im using f.m browns chick starter until they are 2 months old

 

[ChickensRDinos]

You can feed them a non-medicated starter a grower or a flock raiser feed. Any of those are fine. Once they get close to laying age you might want to put out a bowl of oyster shell so that as they start laying can eat the extra calcium they need, but only if they need to.

Layer is just chicken feed with extra calcium that chickens need to make egg shells. Once your birds are laying you can decide what you want to do -- feed a layer or feed a grower or flock raiser + oyster shell. Either system is fine. If you have all laying hens of the same breed and age then a layer may be simpler for you.

If you are like me a have a mixed flock of birds that may contain laying and non laying birds or infrequent layers (roosters, young birds, molting birds, breeds that lay less often) then the latter option is good because the birds can regulate their own calcium. They are good at doing that.

 

[brooklynchicks]

ok thanks for the info i will deff check out all the foods and get one asap they are only a week old now so i dnt know what the sex of them will be hopefully all girls..one more question i have 4 quails and i am feeding them a mix of wild bird seed, cracked corn and black oil sunflower seeds can i give it to the chickens when they are off the starter in addition to the other food i will get for them either the grower or flock with some worms and live crickets

 

[Camp Leader]

Just ran through this thread. I was wondering the same thing. I have a mixed age flock and was wondering what to do to get them all on layer. Sounds like adding the oyster shell is the answer. At least until they all start laying.