When to switch feed?

[KnARanch]

Hello all!

Chickies will be 10 weeks old Sunday - although 3 of the 5 look *much* older!

When do we move to the next food - and what IS the next food to go to?

Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

All flock or chick feed

 

[rosemarythyme]

What are you currently feeding? Are you satisfied with it? You can switch to grower if you want, or all flock, or stay on unmedicated chick feed if that's your preference.

If you want to use layer I'd wait until the pullets are close to laying or have started laying, due to the increase in calcium.

 

[KnARanch]

All flock or chick feed

All 5 of the girls are 10 weeks.

 

[KnARanch]

What are you currently feeding? Are you satisfied with it? You can switch to grower if you want, or all flock, or stay on unmedicated chick feed if that's your preference.

If you want to use layer I'd wait until the pullets are close to laying or have started laying, due to the increase in calcium.

We are ok with the feed. We are concerned about using grower feed, as we don't want them to get too big too fast.

Thank you!

 

[KnARanch]

All 5 of the girls are 10 weeks.

oh I'm dumb! So sorry! I get what you mean - the type of feed! Forgive me!

 

[MysteryChicken]

We are ok with the feed. We are concerned about using grower feed, as we don't want them to get too big too fast.

Thank you!

Chick feed is often a Starter/Grower feed. It helps with growth, not exactly speeds it up.

 

[KnARanch]

Chick feed is often a Starter/Grower feed. It helps with growth, not exactly speeds it up.

Ah! Thank you for explanation

 

[nuthatched]

We are ok with the feed. We are concerned about using grower feed, as we don't want them to get too big too fast.

Thank you!

Unless they're meat birds, that won't happen

 

[rosemarythyme]

We are ok with the feed. We are concerned about using grower feed, as we don't want them to get too big too fast.

Thank you!

Gotcha. That's why I was switching to grower myself (each feed is different, but the starter I use is 20.5% protein and grower is 17 or 18%, which also means the grower is cheaper) but it became a hassle juggling feeds, and the adults certainly preferred starter over grower (I feed everyone whatever the babies are eating). And the starter is far easier to source in my area, so now I don't bother with grower.

Plus with layer chicks, they'll grow as big as they'll grow. Some of mine are just small genetically, having a higher protein feed didn't make them get bigger or fatter or lay earlier.