Running out of grower feed for 9 week old chicks

[spiritpots]

Hello! I have some 9 week old chicks and am running low on their grower feed. I've had some on order with my feed store but the shipment still hasn't arrived. Hopefully they will have it in a few days. Will it be ok for me to feed the chicks the layer feed my older chickens eat if I run out of the grower feed? I don't want to change the brand of feed they are eating. Thank you for your help!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Do they have chick starter at your feed store?

 

[nuthatched]

Do they have a flock feed?

 

[spiritpots]

Do they have chick starter at your feed store?

Yes, I believe I saw that they still have the chick starter stock. Perhaps it would be better for me to give them more strarter than the layer then? I hadn't thought of that. I am familiar with the risk for younger chickens consuming the higher amount of calcium that is in layer feed.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You can give the whole flock chick starter as long as you provide oyster shell on the side for the laying hens. That’s what I do in a mixed flock.

 

[spiritpots]

You can give the whole flock chick starter as long as you provide oyster shell on the side for the laying hens. That’s what I do in a mixed flock.

Thank you. When the younger chicks are large enough to be integrated with the older flock I generally will feed them all grower with oyster shell on the side for the layers. I hadn't thought that the older chickens could also be fed starter with oyster shell on the side. I appreciate your help!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Agreed with above as far as chick feed, all flock, etc. But yes in a pinch if layer is all you have on hand, a few days of layer feed shouldn't cause issues.

 

[spiritpots]

Agreed with above as far as chick feed, all flock, etc. But yes in a pinch if layer is all you have on hand, a few days of layer feed shouldn't cause issues.

That is great to know. Thank you!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Starter or All Flock would be better than grower, but there will be NO ZERO ZILCH NONE visible impact on your birds if you are forced by necessity to offer layer to 9 week old birds for a few days.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally I like grower for my chicks in that age range but my goals are different from others. But I agree. One bite will not kill them. The damage they can get from the excess calcium is not instantaneous. It would take a steady diet over a period of time before the bad results occur. Layer will be fine until you can get something else.