When raising chickens, feed is one of the most important items you will need to purchase. But what are the different types of feeds? And how is it best to feed your chickens? There are many different types of chicken feed for sale on the market, and a few different ways to feed them to your flock.
While you can use any type of feed you prefer, there are pros and cons to each. This article will go over the different types of chicken feed, how they are used and prepared, their pros and cons, and their prices.
When it comes to feeding chickens, it is important to choose the right feed that will give them the best nutrition. The feed of chicks is the most important part of chick raising. All nutrients are contained in the feed, hence the importance of feed. The choice of feed is decided by the purpose of raising chicks.
Feeding chickens is not as simple as throwing in some grains and seeds. Different types of chicken feeds need to be given to chickens depending on their ages and their niches. If you want to raise chickens for meat, you should choose a feed that is rich in protein and energy.
If you want to raise chickens for laying, you should choose a feed that is rich in calcium. This is because the purpose of raising chicks determines what feed they need. That is why it is important to know the right kind of chicken feed to use.
Different Types of Chicken Feed
There are several types of chicken feed that you can use and some of them are starter, grower, layer, and finisher.
Starter Feed
Starter feed is used for baby chickens that are less than 6 weeks old. This feed is designed to give them the nutrients they need to grow at a healthy rate. Starter feed is designed to stimulate the growth of chicks. It is high in protein, fat, and energy. However, it is not suitable for older chickens and should be discontinued as the chicken ages.
Layer Feed
Layer feed is used for adult chickens that are laying eggs. This is the best kind of feed to give to chickens that are already laying eggs. Grower feed is used for chickens that are 8 weeks to 24 weeks old. This is a transition feed that gives chickens a little bit of both the starter and layer feed.
It is higher in calcium and is used as a source of calcium for the formation of eggshells. Breeder feed is similar to layer feed but it is supplemented with extra vitamins to help the hen in her egg-laying capacities. Breeder feed is also higher in protein.
Finisher Feed
Finisher feed is used for chickens that are more than 24 weeks old. This feed gives the chicken the nutrients that it needs to grow and develop its muscles. Many different kinds of feeds are designed specifically for different kinds of chickens.
Some of the other feeds are maintenance feed is designed for young and adult chickens. It is a general feed that is good for all chickens. Breeder/layer/maintenance feeds should be replaced with chick starter feed within a few weeks of hatching to stimulate growth.