Which starter feed?

[klevesque]

I will be shopping at my local TSC. They have Dumor 24% Starter Chicken Feed that is recommended for ages 0-6 weeks and they have Dumor 20% Starter/Grower Chick Feed that is recommended for ages 0-10 weeks.

Which do I use?

Do I also start giving them grit right away or do I wait?

 

[chaneg78]

I believe the 24% is for meat birds the 20% is for egg layers

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Hmm -

I think I'd go with the 20% protein. That's the protein content in the Nutrena starter crumbles that I used.

24% seems high. Provide grit free choice when you add anything other then starter.

I started grit when I began to feed snacks at age 3 wks. First snack was meal worms - they LOVED them and loved me for being the worm provider. Then scrambled eggs stirred up real tiny like the worms - they loved them too. Then clumps of sod. They didn't know what to do for the first day but the next it was just dirt that was left.

 

[klevesque]

Thanks for the advice!! I need all I can get. My chicks are due to arrive the week of the 21st. This is my first time. I've never even held a chick before. Totally new territory for me! I'm so excited!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

WELCOME to BYC's -

You came to the right place to learn everything you can about caring for and raising chickens. I hadn't held a chicken prior to getting my first back in Feb.

I came to this site and read everything. I started with the Home Page and Learning Center and then started reading the forum.

Best of luck to you and don't hesitate to ask more questions. Everyone is so helpful around here. And don't forget to post pictures of your little ones.

 

[klevesque]

I will definately be posting pics! I love seeing chick pics!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Read the label carefully. It should say that it is for chickens. Some of the Dumors Starter or Starter/Grower does not have chickens in the list of animals it is for.

I'd also go with the 20% if I had the choice. Not all TSC's carry all choices.

I thought their starter/grower was recommended from 0 to 20 weeks, then you go with layer. Or at age 6 weeks, you can switch to a grower or grower/developer if they sell it. I think it is 16%.

You might check out this link. Then you can see what options are available at your TSC and you are dealing from knowledge.

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

 

[klevesque]

Ya, I saw that on the bag. There is one type that is recommended for quail or turkeys. Chickens are not listed on that bag.

 

[txchickie]

Just wanted to add that while 20% is just fine and reccommended for baby chicks, I feed all of my birds a 28% gamebird starter...from chicks to laying hens. I have guineas and it was a pain buying all different kinds of feed.

There have been several times in TSC that they have been out of the 20%, so if you do have to get the 24%, it will be okay.

 

[newchickmom09]

I would go with the 20%. Also check to see if the food is medicated. They're medicated to prevent the chickens from getting coccidiosla.

I had paper towels over pine bedding in there brooder for the first week. Very easy clean up and I could see everyone was pooing ok. After they got dirty I just rolled them up and put new paper towels down. At a week old I took away the paper towels so the chicks were on pine bedding. Then I put a little feeder with grit in there for them since they could eat the bedding.