Quick Reference Feed Guide (Chick to Laying Hen)

Depending on where you buy your feed, you might get accurate information about what you should be feeding your chickens at various points in their life - or you might not. I remember being horrified early on, after having been told that Flock Raiser was perfect for our growing mixed flock of chickens and ducks and bringing home a bag, to find that it would have been perfect had we been planning on EATING our flock!

The feed store (correctly) recommended it for our mixed flock, but (incorrectly) recommended it to a mixed one-day-to-be-LAYING flock.  With 20% protein, it would have put weight, on the ducks especially, way too fast and could also have caused them to start laying too soon.

I have also been told by the feed store that chicks can eat layer feed without a problem. Again, incorrect. The extra calcium in the layer feed can cause kidney problems in non-laying chicks and pullets, as well as weak legs or even death.

Confused and not trusting what I was being told by our local feed stores, I did my own research, called a few hatcheries and feed companies and now feed our chicks, pullets and laying hens, as well as our ducklings and ducks, what they specifically need for each stage of life. Remember that this is an imprecise science, so I generally switch to new feed at or about the ages listed - or when I run out of my last bag of the current feed (you can even mix the tail-end of a bag into the new feed so as not to waste it).

Here's a handy reference to the feed requirements for your growing chickens:

Hatch to 8 Weeks

Feed: Chick Starter (18-20% protein)

Water: Room temperature with stones or marbles in it so chicks don't drown, with a splash of apple cider vinegar several times a week. Sugar water the first day, optional, for shipped chicks (1T sugar per quart of water)

Grit: Chick-sized grit or coarse dirt, if fed anything besides chick feed

Calcium: N/A

Supplements: Sprinkle of probiotic powder (thought to combat coccidia), sprinkle of brewer's yeast (especially important for ducklings) and garlic powder (immune system booster) over feed

Treats: Limited. I stick to moistened oats (helps with pasty butt), soft scrambled eggs, minced garlic, cut weeds, herbs and clumps of grass.

8 Weeks to 14 Weeks

Feed: Starter/Grower Feed (16-18% protein)
Water: Cool water with 1 Tablespoon of  apple cider vinegar per gallon twice a week
Grit: Commercial grit or coarse dirt/small stones
Calcium: N/A
Supplements: Sprinkle of probiotic powder, brewer's yeast and garlic powder, and DE (food-grade diatomaceous earth) added to feed if the pullets are spending time outside
Treats: Begin to introduce other healthy treats in moderation: vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, leafy greens, watermelon, corn or peas, whole grain pasta or brown rice, along with the moistened oats, soft scrambled eggs, minced garlic, cut weeds and clumps of grass.

15 Weeks to 18 Weeks

Feed: Finisher Feed (16% protein)
Water: Cool water with 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon twice a week
Grit: Hens in a dirt run/free range set-up should find enough stones on their own
Calcium: N/A

Supplements: Probiotic powder, brewer's yeast and garlic powder, DE

Treats: Healthy treats in moderation, add sunflower seeds, cracked corn, mealworms to the other treats

Note: if you can't find finisher feed, you can skip this step and continue feeding the grower feed. I personally have never used finisher feed.

18 Weeks and Older

Feed: Layer Feed (16% protein plus increased calcium levels)
Water: Cool water with 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon twice a week
Grit: Hens in a dirt run/free range set-up should find enough stones on their own
Calcium: Crushed oyster shell or egg shell free-choice in a separate dish
Supplements: Probiotic powder, brewer's yeast and garlic powder, DE, Omega-3 supplement
Treats: Healthy treats in moderation not to exceed 10% of total diet, scratch in the evening during cold months


For the exact amounts of each supplement that should be added to the layer feed and more on the benefits of each supplement READ HERE.

Notes: Calcium (either oyster or egg shell) should always be fed free-choice so each hen can eat as much or as little as she needs for strong egg shells.  If you have roosters in your flock, they won't touch the calcium, nor will non-laying hens. Roosters can safely eat Layer feed once they reach 18 weeks old despite the higher calcium levels.

However, a 'mixed' flock of layers and non-laying pullets should be fed Grower feed with the free-choice calcium described above until the point at which all your hens are laying or at least 18 weeks old. Then the entire flock can be switched to Layer feed.  Feeding laying hens Grower feed with the increased protein won't hurt them, although they WILL eat more crushed egg shell to make up the calcium they need and aren't getting from the feed, but feeding non-laying pullets Layer feed causes them to ingest higher levels of calcium than they need and can cause kidney problems or even death.

If you raise ducks in the same run as your chickens, they will do fine eating the same feed as your hens, however they do benefit from the added Brewer's Yeast.

A broody hen with chicks will be fine having access only to chick Starter feed, but provide her with a bowl of egg shell or oyster shell so she can start building up her calcium stores to prepare to begin laying eggs as soon as the chicks are on their own.

In a perfect world you could set out bowls of different feeds and they all would eat from the right one, but that just isn't realistic! I hope this reference guide will be helpful as you add to, or establish, your flock.

Buying sources:

www.nutrenaworld.com

www.organicfeeds.com www.scratchandpeck.com

www.thomaslabs.com

www.omegafields.com

Use the coupon code FRESHEGGS  for 5% off your purchase of Omega Fields Ultra Egg

                                         

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This post is shared at Little House in the Suburbs, Backyard Farming Connection, 

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