Chicken Feed Varieties

There are many varieties of chicken feed available, and each variety has its own unique advantages. Deciding which variety is ideal for your chickens can be overwhelming. We have provided a quick guide to the common types of chicken feed you may need to meet your chickens’ nutritional needs.

The friendly staff at North Central Feed and Supply is ready to assist you with the products and knowledge to help you make the best decision for your chicken feed needs.

Chicken Feed Varieties

There are many varieties of chicken feed available, and each variety has its own unique advantages. Deciding which variety is ideal for your chickens can be overwhelming. We have provided a quick guide to the common types of chicken feed you may need to meet your chickens’ nutritional needs.

The friendly staff at North Central Feed and Supply is ready to assist you with the products and knowledge to help you make the best decision for your chicken feed needs.

Starter Feed

For the first eight weeks of life, your chicks will need a chicken feed specially formatted for young fowl. This feed is dense in protein, usually anywhere from 20% to 24%, which helps baby chickens to grow. This type of chicken feed is often medicated, and should be discontinued after eight weeks, as the high protein content can cause liver damage in your chickens if used too long.

Grower Feed

Once your chickens reach eight weeks of age, their diet needs to change. Grower feed contains less protein (~18 %) and should be used until your chickens reach 14 weeks of age. Lessening the protein for this age group ensures that your chickens will reach a healthy maturity before they begin to lay eggs.

Starter Feed

For the first eight weeks of life, your chicks will need a chicken feed specially formatted for young fowl. This feed is dense in protein, usually anywhere from 20% to 24%, which helps baby chickens to grow. This type of chicken feed is often medicated, and should be discontinued after eight weeks, as the high protein content can cause liver damage in your chickens if used too long.

Grower Feed

Once your chickens reach eight weeks of age, their diet needs to change. Grower feed contains less protein (~18 %) and should be used until your chickens reach 14 weeks of age. Lessening the protein for this age group ensures that your chickens will reach a healthy maturity before they begin to lay eggs.

Layer Feed

A good sign that your chicks are ready for layer feed is that they have begun to lay eggs – this is typically around five months. Once they begin laying, your chickens require a blend of protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals to produce high quality eggs.

At five months, your layers should be put on egg mash to ensure that they receive the extra calcium they need to make their egg shells hard. You can also supplement their feed with oyster shells for added calcium in their diet.

This type of chicken feed is only recommended for egg layers. The calcium and protein levels can be detrimental to other breed varieties.

Broiler Feed

Broiler chickens, or chickens that are raised for consumption, require a specially formulated diet. Typically, your broilers will be on this type of chicken feed for eight weeks and then be ready to be butchered.

We offer custom chicken feed mixes to ensure that your broilers receive the specially formulated diet they need to produce the yield you are looking for come butchering time.

Visit us at 124 N. 8th Street in West Branch, or call us at (989) 345-0428 for information about all of your chicken feed needs.