when do I stop giving them chick feed?

[RIRJen]

I have some 2-ish month old chicks and I can't remember when I stop giving them chick feed? They're going to be put in with my older hens soon and I figured then they would all eat the same anyways...but just curious when everyone else switches them off chick feed! Thanks!

OH! I've got eggs in the bater from some ISA's and my RIR's.....cross your fingers...no one is poking through YET!

 

[arlee453]

Check the bag. Most feeds will say on there for how long to feed the starter.

GENERALLY, you can switch over to a grower feed around 8-10 weeks, and then to a layer feed around the point of lay - 18-20 weeks.

Or some starters you can keep them on until they are ready to go onto layer feed.

 

[allen wranch]

If you use a starter & grower combination, switch to layer feed at around 18-20 weeks.

Baby chicks need a higher protein and less calcium than adult layers. Too much calcium can be harmful. If you have to mix the chicks with older birds, feed everyone the starter/grower (unmedicated) until around 18 weeks. Have oyster shell available for the older birds for the extra calcium. The chicks want mess with it, except out of curiosity.

 

[airmom1c05]

When they lay their first egg you can and should switch to layer feed. If you have layers and non layers mixed, you can keep feeding them all starter/grower feed and keep plenty of oyster shell for them in a bowl free choice. The layers will know they need the extra calcium and eat the oyster shell as they need it. When all the hens are laying, I would switch to layer feed.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I use starter/grower til they are at point of lay....

 

[coltsrox]

my chicks are 4weeksish , i didn't know my chicks arne't farm chicks so they can't be kept in chick feed? what do ii switch to when they get older?HELP!

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Doesn't matter where they came from ... Grower or Starter/Grower until 18 weeks is fine.

Switch to layers then because they do not need all that protein, and they do need the extra calcium.