Chicken Feed Question

[Dace]

My girls are 14 weeks. What should I be feeding them?
I have been told by the feed store to keep them on starter until about 18 weeks. Can someone clue me in?
Should I be prepping them for egg production?

 

[freemotion]

Do you want to stick with prepared feeds or combine your own? I do my own, but not everyone wants all the bother and space it needs......

 

[Dace]

For now commercial is fine. Eventually I may want to play with mixes, but to start I'd like to keep it 'idiot proof'!

 

[freemotion]

I did the same. Get used to the chickens first, then get brave. I would be glad to detail what I do when and if you are ready to be rebellious....

 

[farmerlor]

I usually start my chicks on layer feed at about 18 weeks. I start the oyster shell at the same time so that by the time they hit laying age their bodies will be well prepared to lay eggs. We're just getting ready to start ordering fresh milled food in bulk for them though so I'm kinda waiting on this next batch to see what I need to do with that.

 

[FarmerChick]

I start a good layer feed at 17 weeks old along with oyster shells....those girls should start to produce in just a bit....and the "teeney weeney little pullet" eggs are actually "cute!"


LOL

any good layer feed will be fine, do not spend a fortune at all. chickens don't require alot, just good quality!

 

[hennypenny9]

Now I feel silly... We never counted how many weeks our chicks were, we just kept them on starter until one layed an egg, then switched. My parents have had chickens continuously for over 20 years and never had a problem. I say, don't sweat it, they'll be fine.

 

[patandchickens]

You do not need to feed them anything special to 'prep them for egg production'. Once the *have started* laying, make sure they have extra calcium available, by feeding commercial layer ration or by making crushed oystershell or dried crushed eggshell available free choice (or any or all of the above). But that doesn't really matter much til they've been laying a while.

Check what your feed mfr says you should be feeding. Some brands have only starter (sometimes labelled starter/grower) and layer; others have a separate 'grower' type to be used in between, usually from about 6-8 wks til laying age but it depends on the mfr.

AFAIK though starter is generally FINE til they start to lay-- certainly that's what I do. If you were using medicated starter you should probably switch to nonmedicated though. (I am guessing you probably weren't, but, just sayin' for completeness )

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I did the same. Get used to the chickens first, then get brave. I would be glad to detail what I do when and if you are ready to be rebellious....

I'M FEELING REBELLIOUS!!!!!!

Share woman, share!!


edited for spelling

 

[Wifezilla]

Where do you get fresh milled feed? I SO want to get away from the soy/corn/wheat garbage. For now, i just make sure they have plenty of free range time, salad greens, worms and bugs so they need less feed to begin with. I tried growing duck weed, but no luck so far. First it froze, this last batch Bungie (young rouen drake) ate it all before it could spread! (I forgot how tall he had gotten and he could reach in to the container none of the other ducks could get in to )