Hen Feeding Manual for every Phase: What to Feed Your Flock from Chick to Layer
Hen Feeding Manual for every Phase: What to Feed Your Flock from Chick to Layer
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Elevating balanced chickens starts with right diet. Feeding your flock the best diet program at Each and every phase of daily life is essential for expansion, egg creation, and overall properly-becoming. No matter whether you might be increasing chicks, pullets, or adult hens, being familiar with their modifying nutritional requires aids be certain a happy and effective flock. This hen feeding manual walks you through what to feed your birds from working day 1 to their golden laying yrs.
one. Starter Feed (0–6 Weeks Outdated)
The main couple of weeks of the chick’s everyday living are crucial. Through this era, chicks require large-protein starter feed to guidance immediate growth and advancement. Most starter feeds consist of eighteen–twenty% protein, together with the ideal equilibrium of natural vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Type: Crumbles or mash (easier for little beaks to eat)
Health supplements: Grit is needless if feeding only professional starter feed.
Idea: Stay away from offering treats much too early—starter feed needs to be their sole food plan to be certain well balanced nourishment.
2. Grower Feed (6–eighteen Months Outdated)
As chicks expand into pullets (teenage chickens), their diet program shifts to grower feed. This feed has marginally reduced protein material, usually fifteen–17%, and fewer calcium than layer feed to forestall kidney troubles in youthful birds.
Reason: Supports continuous expansion devoid of encouraging premature laying.
Variety: Crumbles or pellets.
Health supplements: Grit in case you introduce grains or treats.
Suggestion: Stay away from layer feed until they start laying, as high calcium degrees can harm acquiring organs.
3. Layer Feed (18+ Weeks / Very first Egg)
Once your pullets lay their initially egg, it’s time to switch to layer feed. This specifically formulated feed includes about 16% protein and the next degree of calcium to guidance eggshell formation.
Variety: Crumbles or pellets.
Dietary supplements: Give oyster shell or crushed eggshells cost-free-option for more calcium.
Idea: Some hens favor crumbles in excess of pellets—observe your flock’s choice.
four. Broiler Feed (For Meat Birds)
In the event you’re elevating QH88 chickens for meat, your feeding tactic is different. Broilers need a substantial-protein, energy-dense feed to help immediate excess weight achieve.
Starter (0–three months): 22–24% protein.
Finisher (three months to harvest): eighteen–20% protein.
Tip: Keep an eye on feed diligently—overfeeding can result in leg troubles or coronary heart complications.
five. Treats and Scraps (All Ages, in Moderation)
Treats might be a fantastic dietary supplement on your chickens’ food plan, but they should make up not more than ten% of day by day ingestion. Offer wholesome choices like leafy greens, oats, cooked rice, or fruits.
Stay away from: Salty foods, chocolate, avocado, raw beans, or moldy scraps.
Use grit: If the flock eats entire grains or roughage, supply grit to help digestion.
Final Ideas
Generally present clean up, contemporary drinking water—it’s a lot more significant than feed.
Store feed effectively in order to avoid mildew and pests.
Alter feed portions according to flock size and age.
Feeding chickens correctly at Each individual lifetime stage ensures a flourishing flock, greater egg manufacturing, and much less medical issues. With the correct diet plan, your birds will reward you with eggs, companionship, and perhaps several clucks of appreciation!