What is best to feed your young chicks

[skulage]

I'm starting my first flock and have the eggs that will be ready at the end of the month to hatch. I was wondering what is the best thing to feed the tiny ones once they have join us. I have been reading around the internet and have a idea but i would love to hear everyone else import.
thanks

 

[Elite Silkies]

I use Medicated Chick Starter 18% and use my magic bullet to grind it up about the size of corn meal. JMO they eat it alot better and they eat alot more too.

I wasn't grinding it up until I found it on website on the internet, so decided to try it and it works really well for them, and is so much easier for them to it.

 

[HBuehler]

We use a feed made at our feed store that started as a hatchery

They all start on starter food which is a high protein feed-not looking but it's 22 or 24% that is already a mash texture and real easy for the little ones to eat. When they are around 8 weeks we put them on grower which is 18%.The higher protein really helps them feather quicker and in this colder weather that is even more important-I'm still hatching as well.Sitting the last ones today.

 

[Sissy]

I too start my babes on chix starter food non medicated.
but also add hard boiled chopped eggs and they love it.
and a little sugar in their water then at 4 weeks
I began adding ACV to a gal. of water 2tablesp.
and they are kept on that always.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Lots of people do lots of different things. This site gives you the basics of feeding them. If you follow this exactly you will be about as efficient as you can get on producing eggs, but they will likely taste a lot like the store-bought eggs. I like to supplement mine by letting them range when I can and very regularly feeding them greens and other garden stuff.

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

For the first week I ground my crumbles in a blender as they were picking out the little stuff and leaving the bigger chunks. After they were about a week old, they preferred the bigger cunks. And when I switched from crumbles to pellets at 20 weeks age, they picked out the pellets and left the crumbles. Many peope report exactly the opposite. Chickens are not consistent.

 

[cjexotic]

I use Game Bird Starter Grower (non med) higher protein. My vet said I would see less fatality in chicks by going to the higher protein for the chicks especially in the silkies. It is usually a buck more than the chick starter for chickens but well worth it. I have only lost a couple chicks since I started feeding that.

 

[Ol'FashionHen]

If I order chicks, I will give then Purina medicated chick starter.

If hen does the hatching and tending I give them NON-medicated because the hen will be eating the chick feed as well.

I only use Purina brand Feed - no animal protein in it.