We all love our dogs, cats, and fish, but do they actually produce something edible? Or pay their own way? Chickens do, and once you’ve dined on their eggs you’ll never reach for a dozen in the supermarket again. They’re so much more flavorful, in no small part because you’ll eat them when they’re only minutes or hours old, not weeks or months. You’ll even see the difference in the yolks, which are a healthy orange, not the pale yellow you’re used to.
Plus, you can feel good about the organic eggs you’ll be feeding your friends and family. All it takes to get organic eggs is organic chicken feed! Research shows that chickens allowed to roam freely and eat grass lay eggs that are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E and at the same time lower in cholesterol than store-bought, too
New Hampshire red – 33 Chicks
Chick Starter
Item No. 01P008
Palmer’s all-natural chick starter/grower
A starting/growing ration for young chicks.
Feeding directions: Start feeding this ration from day of hatch and continue for the next 10-15 weeks. Can be fed up until time first egg is produced. Always provide fresh clean water
Palmer’s all-natural lay crumbles
Item No. 01P024
A complete ration for laying chickens
Feeding Directions: This is a complete and balanced ration. Feed throughout the period of egg production. Always provide fresh clean water.
Palmer’s all-natural lay pellet
Item No. 01P025
A complete ration for laying chickens
Feeding Directions: This is a complete and balanced ration. Feed throughout the period of egg production. Always provide fresh clean water.
Oyster Shell Pullet 50#
Item No. 01OYSP50
Primarily a calcium carbonate that is crushed for use in bird food as a calcium rich bird grit component to aid in digestion.
Starter grit 50#
Item No. 01SGRIT50
Allows birds to keep more of the vital proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins locked within feed particles. They convert them into a proper form for absorption into the bloodstream where they aid digestion, improve feed conversion and growth.
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As well as chick starter feed and clean water, they need a draft-free brooder pen with a red brooder lamp on at all times. This keeps the temperature at 92°F at 2 inches above the floor.
When the chicks have feathered out, reduce the temperature by 5°F per week until they are 6 weeks old, then switch their feed from chick starter to grower mash. Young chicks need to be close to water and food at all times. You could also make a circular pen.
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Chick Starter Feed (non-medicated)
Clean Water
Oyster Shell
Red Brooder Lamp
Starter Grit (When eating anything other than their finely milled starter, they will need grit in order to digest it properly.)
Wood Ash
Diatomaceous Earth
Electrolytes
Black Soldier Fly Larva.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Corid
What kind and how much feed should I give my flock at each stage of development? – source
As baby chicks and waterfowl grow, their nutritional needs change. It can be confusing to know how much and what kind of feed to give them at each stage of development. Please don’t lose sleep over this issue! We have all the help you need for your growing chickens, ducks, and geese right here.
One note before we get started: All feed manufacturers have recommended stages for their feed. This guide is a commonly accepted standard; however, you should follow the directions on the feed you choose for optimum benefit from that brand.
Regardless of their age, one principle always applies: Always offer feeds to your flock “free choice,” meaning they have access to feed at any time during their waking hours. Chickens won’t overeat on quality, complete feeds (but do go take it easy on the treats), so giving them access to feed-free choices will make sure they have all the nutrition they need without overfeeding them.
Chicken Feeding Guide
From Hatch to Around Six Weeks
Baby chicks need finely-milled chick starter feed. Laying breeds (most breeds we carry are this type) will eat about 1 pound of feed per chick each week. That means for baby chicks, you need about 6 pounds of feed per chick to reach the point where they switch to a grower/developer feed at around 6 weeks of age. Up to 6 weeks old, chicks need feed with 20%-22% protein for their rapidly growing bodies. Some flock keepers may choose to feed their chicks medicated starter feed. See our related article, What is medicated feed all about–do I need it? for information to help you determine if medicated feed is right for your chicks.
As long as they are only eating finely-milled chick starter feed, baby chicks do not need grit to help them digest their feed. In fact, some have found it wise not to give chicks grit until they are eating other foods in addition to chick feed. Baby chicks can sometimes mistake the grit for feed and consume too much, which can lead to digestive problems. Giving them nothing but chick starter feed for their first few weeks can help keep that from happening. As soon as you introduce other foods, however, make sure you give them access to chick grit as well, which will help them digest their feed.
Six Weeks to Laying Age
Juvenile chicks will need little over 1 pound of grower/developer feed per week until they start laying, usually somewhere between 16-24 weeks of age. This means you will need a little more than 8 pounds of grower/developer feed per juvenile. Birds from 6 weeks of age to point of lay need feed with 14%-16% protein. Please note that some brands of feeds to not have a grower or developer feed and go directly from starter to layer. Be sure to follow your feed brand’s recommended feeding schedule.
Laying Adults
When laying, adult hens will eat about 1.5-1.75 pounds of layer feed each week. Once they have started laying, they need 15%-18% protein in their feed.
