Chicken Feeding Manual for Each Stage: What to Feed Your Flock from Chick to Layer
Chicken Feeding Manual for Each Stage: What to Feed Your Flock from Chick to Layer
Blog Article
Elevating healthy chickens begins with suitable diet. Feeding your flock the ideal food plan at each stage of lifestyle is important for progress, egg creation, and General perfectly-staying. Irrespective of whether you are boosting chicks, pullets, or adult hens, understanding their transforming nutritional wants allows make certain a contented and productive flock. This rooster feeding guideline walks you through what to feed your birds from day a person to their golden laying several years.
one. Starter Feed (0–six Months Outdated)
The first handful of weeks of a chick’s everyday living are crucial. Through this era, chicks have to have high-protein starter feed to assistance speedy progress and progress. Most starter feeds comprise eighteen–20% protein, along with the correct balance of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Form: Crumbles or mash (easier for very small beaks to try to eat)
Dietary supplements: Grit is pointless if feeding only commercial starter feed.
Suggestion: Keep away from giving treats much too early—starter feed need to be their sole diet regime to make sure well balanced nourishment.
2. Grower Feed (six–eighteen Weeks Outdated)
As chicks develop into pullets (teenage chickens), their food plan shifts to grower feed. This feed has a bit lower protein information, usually 15–17%, and fewer calcium than layer feed to circumvent kidney problems in younger birds.
Reason: Supports steady development devoid of encouraging untimely laying.
Variety: Crumbles or pellets.
Supplements: Grit in the event you introduce grains or treats.
Tip: Keep away from layer feed until eventually they begin laying, as significant calcium degrees can damage producing organs.
3. Layer Feed (eighteen+ Months / 1st Egg)
After your pullets lay their 1st egg, it’s time to switch to layer feed. This specifically formulated feed is made up of about 16% protein and an increased amount of calcium to help eggshell development.
Kind: Crumbles or pellets.
Dietary supplements: Offer oyster shell or crushed eggshells no cost-choice for excess calcium.
Tip: Some hens like crumbles in excess of pellets—notice your flock’s preference.
4. Broiler Feed (For Meat QH88 Birds)
If you’re elevating chickens for meat, your feeding strategy is different. Broilers require a superior-protein, Vitality-dense feed to aid fast body weight gain.
Starter (0–3 months): 22–24% protein.
Finisher (three months to reap): eighteen–20% protein.
Suggestion: Watch feed cautiously—overfeeding can cause leg troubles or heart challenges.
five. Treats and Scraps (All Ages, moderately)
Treats can be quite a good nutritional supplement towards your chickens’ food plan, but they must make up no more than 10% of daily ingestion. Offer you healthier alternatives like leafy greens, oats, cooked rice, or fruits.
Stay away from: Salty foods, chocolate, avocado, Uncooked beans, or moldy scraps.
Use grit: If the flock eats complete grains or roughage, offer grit to help digestion.
Last Tips
Generally supply clean up, refreshing drinking water—it’s much more significant than feed.
Shop feed adequately to prevent mold and pests.
Alter feed parts based on flock measurement and age.
Feeding chickens the right way at Each and every lifetime phase makes sure a flourishing flock, improved egg production, and much less health concerns. With the proper diet program, your birds will reward you with eggs, companionship, and maybe a couple of clucks of appreciation!