If you’re raising your first batch of chicks, you might be wondering when to switch from “starter/grower” feed to a “layer” feed. The short answer is that you should switch right around the time that they start laying eggs.
But, of course, there’s always a longer answer! Here’s more info to help you decide when to transition:
A starter/grower feed has a higher protein content than a layer feed, which helps the chicks mature faster (and start laying eggs as soon as possible). Layer feed contains extra calcium to help the hens form eggshells, but you don’t want them to have the extra calcium when they’re young or it can cause problems with their growth.
In an ideal situation, you’d switch to the layer feed as soon as you see the first egg.
But in the real world, you’ll run out of grower feed but definitely not need another whole bag of it.
Or you’ll have plenty of grower feed when they start laying.
Or you’ll add young, not-laying-yet birds to your existing flock and can’t exactly tell the chickens which feed pan they’re supposed to eat from!
So while there’s a “best practice”, there’s a lot of flexibility:
If you have extra grower feed and your hens are laying, give them some calcium – we have 4-lb bags for less than $10 here at Harvey’s. (It’s better to finish the grower feed while it’s fresh rather than keeping it until the next year.)
If your chicks aren’t ready to start laying quite yet but you know you won’t get through another bag of grower feed, just switch to layer.
And if you’ve integrated your new chicks into an existing flock, they’ll be just fine eating the layer feed along with the rest of your hens.
Regardless of which feed you need for your chickens, we have the most extensive selection in the Black Hills at Harvey’s in Hot Springs, SD! Organic, non-organic, soy-free, high-protein, wheat-free, and more.