Starter chicken feed should be rich in calcium and have a lot more protein compared to the feed recommended for adult meat chickens and egg layers.
For example, the ideal starter chicken feed has about 20-24% protein, some calcium and D3 for optimal musculoskeletal development, and is usually enriched with several vitamins and minerals.
Feeding starter feed is recommended until the age of 6 weeks. Don’t go beyond that threshold as the protein quantity is too much for older chickens, so they might put on too much weight or develop gout as a result (and not be able to move and feed themselves at all).
Teenage chickens have to be fed with feed that contains about 16 to 18% protein, which is something somewhat similar to what egg layers have to receive, too. This one isn’t particularly rich in vitamins and minerals, but it still contains some calcium and D3.
Egg layers have to benefit from a diet that’s rich in minerals as they have a significant impact on their egg-laying capabilities and on the egg shell, too. This type of feed is among the richest in vitamins and minerals, but it doesn’t contain as much protein.
Most of the egg layer chicken feed we’ve come across has about 16 to 18% protein. It is completely unsuitable for small chicks due to the lower protein content.
- Chicken feed for broilers
Meat chickens have to get a lot of protein in their diet, but still not more than 22% for fear of them developing gout. The breeds you’ll raise for this purpose will grow quickly, so you aren’t going to have to wait for a long time for them to put on weight and muscle.
The birds have to be kept mobile, so the feed also has to contain a ratio of 2 to 1 of calcium and phosphorus. Probiotics support the broilers’ digestive health, and so do antioxidants and amino acids.