It's hard to screw this up. Not too confusing if you break it down into simple terms. Forget what the feeds are called. It is all about the ingredients and more importantly, the guaranteed analysis. Always read that label and take note the calcium and protein percentages.
Growing birds need more protein, the younger the bird the more they need. About 18-22% when chicks. As they reach full size they don't need as much. About 16-17% is good for laying age birds.
Calcium should be about 1% for all non laying birds (growing birds, roosters and molting/nonlaying hens)
They can go to layer feed (4% calcium) if they're all laying. Otherwise continue a grower or finisher feed while providing oyster shell in a separate container for birds building egg shells.
All birds should have grit. It aids in digestion and helps develop the gizzard. While it is true that foraging birds may find appropriately sized grit, it is cheap so I provide it to all birds whether they are out foraging or confined to pens.
I offer grit from the time chicks hatch. An interesting anecdotal story on grit. I hatched a bunch of chicks and sold some to a friend. After some time it turned out she got several cockerels and I offered to trade her a pullet for a cockerel. I was about to butcher some cockerels from the same hatch so I brought it home and butchered it too.
The gizzard from the bird she raised was half the size of the gizzards of the birds I raised. Same breed, same line, same flock, same age.
