Chick Starter Feed: What to Feed Baby Chicks for a Healthy Life
Starting a Flock : Considering Chickens
Starting a Flock : Chick Nutrition
Starting a Flock : Caring for Chicks
Feed your baby chicks a Purina® complete chick starter feed with all the unique nutrients they need to start strong and stay strong.
One of the first questions we hear from new chick parents is: What do baby chicks eat?
Lifetime success begins on day one of your new chick’s life. Their road to becoming happy, healthy hens that lay delicious fresh eggs for you starts with daily care and high-quality chick starter feed. Baby chicks need unique nutrients to grow into strong, egg-laying hens. Each necessary nutrient – and the proper balance of them – plays a role in growth, performance and flock happiness.
Feeding chicks for a strong start can better equip them for a lifetime of success. Early nutrition develops the digestive tract and builds a healthy immune system, ultimately improving chick growth. Providing them with a complete chick starter feed is key.
Chicks grow quickly, doubling their hatch weight in the first week and growing up to seven times their hatch weight in the first month. This early growth requires the correct balance of nutrients.
All Purina starter feeds are part of the Purina® Chick Strong® System, which has essential nutrients that play a vital role in your chicks’ development — a designation that makes it easy to get your chicks the growth support they need.
Continue feeding the same chick starter feed to your chicks from day 1 to week 18, or a feed specifically designed for active adolescents like Purina® Farm to Flock® Grower Food. We recommend waiting to introduce treats or scratch to your chicks’ diet until week 18. If you are feeding a complete chick starter feed, your chicks do not need grit. If you start chicks on a medicated chick starter feed, keep feeding the same medicated feed until their first eggs.
Most layer breeds will lay their first egg around week 18. At that time, choose a layer feed that has at least 16% protein and 3.0% calcium and contains the Purina Flock Strong System® to help your hens lay strong eggs. Consider options like Purina® Farm to Flock® 18% Layer, Purina® Layena® Crumbles or Pellets. Depending on your flocks needs, you can also consider Layena® Pearls, Organic Layer Pellets and Crumbles, Layena® Omega-3 or Layena® High Protein.
Want more tips on how to start your chicks strong? Find the Chick Care Guide for a deeper dive into what chicks need.
One of the first questions we hear from new chick parents is: What do baby chicks eat?
Lifetime success begins on day one of your new chick’s life. Their road to becoming happy, healthy hens that lay delicious fresh eggs for you starts with daily care and high-quality chick starter feed. Baby chicks need unique nutrients to grow into strong, egg-laying hens. Each necessary nutrient – and the proper balance of them – plays a role in growth, performance and flock happiness.
Caring for baby chicks
Caring for baby chicks begins with a warm brooder and good nutrition. You can download resources to help you welcome home new chicks from the Chick Care Guide.Feeding chicks for a strong start can better equip them for a lifetime of success. Early nutrition develops the digestive tract and builds a healthy immune system, ultimately improving chick growth. Providing them with a complete chick starter feed is key.
Chicks grow quickly, doubling their hatch weight in the first week and growing up to seven times their hatch weight in the first month. This early growth requires the correct balance of nutrients.
What to feed baby chicks
Start your chicks strong by feeding a complete chick starter feed from day 1 when you bring them home. Each of the feeds below is formulated to provide all the nutrition your chicks and other poultry need for a strong, healthy start and lifetime success:- For chicks vaccinated for coccidiosis: Purina® Farm to Flock® Starter Food or Purina® Start & Grow® non-medicated feed.
- For chicks not vaccinated for coccidiosis (or if you’re unsure of their vaccination status): Purina® Start & Grow® Medicated feed.
- For organic chicks: Purina® Organic Starter-Grower feed.
All Purina starter feeds are part of the Purina® Chick Strong® System, which has essential nutrients that play a vital role in your chicks’ development — a designation that makes it easy to get your chicks the growth support they need.
Continue feeding the same chick starter feed to your chicks from day 1 to week 18, or a feed specifically designed for active adolescents like Purina® Farm to Flock® Grower Food. We recommend waiting to introduce treats or scratch to your chicks’ diet until week 18. If you are feeding a complete chick starter feed, your chicks do not need grit. If you start chicks on a medicated chick starter feed, keep feeding the same medicated feed until their first eggs.
Most layer breeds will lay their first egg around week 18. At that time, choose a layer feed that has at least 16% protein and 3.0% calcium and contains the Purina Flock Strong System® to help your hens lay strong eggs. Consider options like Purina® Farm to Flock® 18% Layer, Purina® Layena® Crumbles or Pellets. Depending on your flocks needs, you can also consider Layena® Pearls, Organic Layer Pellets and Crumbles, Layena® Omega-3 or Layena® High Protein.
Want more tips on how to start your chicks strong? Find the Chick Care Guide for a deeper dive into what chicks need.
