Are you eagerly anticipating the sweet little baby chick chirps and getting ready to embark on the heartwarming journey of nurturing baby chicks into vibrant, happy adult chickens? If you’re a newcomer to the world of chicken keeping and seeking guidance on what to feed baby chicks, you’ve come to the right place!
How can you provide the best nutrition for your baby chicks growth and happiness? These are the questions we’ll cover, and review some of the essentials of baby chick nutrition.
So, let’s get ready to dive into the fascinating world of baby chick nutrition. Are you prepared to provide them with the best start in life? Let’s explore the key essentials and tips to make your journey as a chicken keeper not only easier but immensely rewarding. Get ready to feed those chirping baby chicks with the utmost care and love!
This post is all about what to feed baby chicks.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something through one of these Amazon links, I may receive a commission (and if so, thank you for the support!). The opinions expressed in this review are solely based on my personal experiences and observations as a small backyard chicken keeper. I encourage readers to conduct their research and consider their individual circumstances before making any purchasing decisions. You can view my full private policy for more details.
Baby chicks have nutritional needs that are different from those of adult chickens. Because of this, you will want to pick out a food designed specifically for baby chicks such as a starter or grower feed. Once they reach about 16-20 weeks you will then want to start transitioning them to their adult food.
So before your baby chicks arrive you will want to have your chick feed picked out and ready to go! Here are some key things to know so you can keep your babies happy and healthy.
- Starter or Grower feed: Depending on the brand, chick food will either be called a starter or grower feed. These feeds are high in protein (usually around 20-22%) and contain the essential vitamins and minerals that chicks need to grow and develop. Make sure to always read the back of the bag to ensure you feed your specific feed at the right stages. Chick feeds come in either a medicated or a non-medicated option.
- Medicated feed vs. Non-Medicated Feeds: Medicated chick feed contains Amprolium that helps prevent coccidiosis, a common and potentially deadly disease in young chicks. Cocci is present in soil and in chicken poop droppings so the thought is that by feeding a medicated chick feed that reduces the changes of them getting coccidiosis and they can start to build up an immunity to your specific coccli in your soil.
Non-medicated feed does not contain Amprolium. If your chicks have been vaccinated against coccidiosis you will only want to feed the non-medicated feed as feeding them the medicated feed will cancel each other out. Deciding between medicated versus non medicated is a very personal choice for what’s best for you and your flock.
Personally I went with medicated feed for my chicks for two reasons:
– I was new to keeping chickens and wanted to be overly cautious
– Location: The medicated chick feed option was all I could find sold here locally in Puerto Rico - Supplements: When my baby chicks first arrived I gave them some of the Sav-A-Chick electrolyte and vitamin packets in their water for the first couple of days (also make sure to offer plain water as well).
The chick food I chose had probiotics already in it. If yours doesn’t, you can always order probiotics like this to add to their feed. - Grit: Chicks won’t need grit until they start to eat anything other than their chick food. All chickens need grit to digest their food because they don’t have teeth. Instead they use small stones or grit to grind their food in their gizzards (a muscular organ in the digestive system of a chicken that helps break down food into smaller pieces, making it easier for the chicken to digest). Grit is important to provide free choice once they start eating treats or have begun to go outside.
- Treats: Baby chicks can have treats, but it’s important to offer them in moderation and personally, I aired on the side of caution and didn’t offer my chicks treats until they were about two weeks old. I did hand feed them their chick food to start bonding with them. Even though they had their chick food available at all times during the day, they thought this chick food was extra special. Don’t forget, you must provide grit once you give them treats (anything other than their chick food)!
- Transitioning to adult feed: Around 16-20 weeks of age, you can start transitioning your chicks to adult food like a layer feed for an all hen flock or an all flock feed if you have hens and roosters. Transitioning their food should be gradual, as sudden changes in diet can cause digestive upset. Start by mixing a small amount of adult feed into their chick feed then gradually increase the proportion of adult feed over a period of 1-2 weeks.
While I say all of that, when I transitioned my chicks to their adult food I ended up not being able to follow my own advice here. The stores had completely run out of the chick food they had been eating. Shipping here to PR is very slow and I ended up having to go ahead and switch them to their adult food within a day. Thankfully no one had any issues with the switch!
And of course, it’s important to provide clean, fresh water at all times for baby chicks.
I would also suggest taking a good look inside when opening feed bags to ensure that their feed is free of bugs, mold or other contaminants (I have opened bags before and found bugs!).
Good nutrition is essential for healthy chick development and for their long-term health. We want to help those baby chicks grow up into healthy, happy chickens!
{UP NEXT: 7 MUST-HAVE BABY CHICK STARTER KIT ESSENTIALS}
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Hi there! I’m Jess, a backyard chicken keeper living on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. With my flock of 15 friendly chickens, my mission is to help others feel confident about raising happy, healthy, and super friendly chickens. My dream is that everyone gets to know the love of a chicken and experience the joy they bring to your life.
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