When do I stop feeding my chickens chick starter.....

[Mystery Peepers]

When do I need to stop feeding my chickens chick starter? They're 5 1/2 weeks old now. Also, instead of oyster shells, can I feed them mussel shells? We live by the Kentucky Lake and there are PLENTY of mussel shells. When do I need to feed them oyster,or mussel shells??

- thanks


Currently owning,
one HYPER lab, 6 chickens, 1 cat, 4 kittens, 2 hermit crabs, 3 snails, a phantom mouse, soon to have 15-30 guineas, and soon to have one beef cow.
Good start on a farm, eh?

 

[FLOWERPOT]

Some people say to stop feeding starter at 16 weeks
Others say keep them on starter till you see their first egg
Either way you do not need to give them oyster shell untill they start laying as it is a calcium suppliment to make the shells stronger.

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Its not so much when do you stop giving them starter, as when do you start giving them layer feed.

The layer feed has extra calcium that the chicks do not need, it is bad for their kidneys.

You should not start giving them layer feed until they are at least 16 weeks old.

 

[DarkWolf]

I always thought you switched from Starter -> Grower -> Layer. or even Starter -> General -> Layer.

Anything to get them off of these blasted crumbles.. There's soooooo much waste with it and starter ONLY comes in crumbles.

 

[gritsar]

If seperate starter and grower are available in your area, you can switch them from the starter to the grower at 6 to 8 weeks and then feed the grower until 18 to 20 weeks or when you get your first egg; whichever comes first.
If all that's available is chick starter & grower, then you can feed that until 18 to 20 weeks and then switch over to layer.
All we can find here is starter/grower, so that's what I fed until I got my first egg @ 19 weeks. Then they went on layer pellets with oyster shell offered on the side.

 

[DarkWolf]

Sweet.. Thanks for the info. We've got the whole range available here.. Starter, Grower, General and Layer.

 

[rachlore]

Yeah, in my area they only sell grower and starter feed so it was wonderful for you to mention that gritsar, thank you.I'm pretty sure it also says the time on the bag of chick feed too.

 

[mskluck]

Thank for the info. You ALL ROCK!!!!

 

[Cacique500]

You can also go with Purina Flockraiser... Then add extra calcium/oyster when they begin to lay. On the last couple batches of chicks I used medicated starter for about 8 weeks then switched over to Flockraiser, which they're all still on. Makes life easier if you've got a rooster in with them or if you have mixed ages...everybody can eat it.

 

[Chickenrunlady]

You can also go with Purina Flockraiser... Then add extra calcium/oyster when they begin to lay. On the last couple batches of chicks I used medicated starter for about 8 weeks then switched over to Flockraiser, which they're all still on. Makes life easier if you've got a rooster in with them or if you have mixed ages...everybody can eat it.[/QUOtotallytopicbuyourav

Totally off-topic, but your avatar is killing me LOL!!!