What Do Baby Chicks Eat? Choosing a Chick Starter Feed

Baby chicks grow quickly, doubling their hatch weight in the first week and growing up to seven times their hatch weight in the first month. Support this rapid growth by choosing a Purina® complete starter-grower feed to start baby chicks strong.

In this video, Patrick Biggs, Ph.D., Purina® flock nutritionist walks through frequently asked questions about raising chicks.

Topics covered include:

• 0:06: Feeding a mixed flock of laying hens and baby chicks
• 0:57: What do baby chicks eat? What is the best chicken feed for baby chicks?
• 1:15: What’s the difference between medicated and non-medicated chick starter-grower feed?
• 1:57: At what age can chicks have treats? What kind of treats can I feed my chicks?
• 2:47: Do chickens need grit?
• 3:30: What do you feed guinea hens?

When raising chicks, remember baby chicks require 38 nutrients each day in their chicken feed to jumpstart their long-term health and grow at the proper pace. Purina® complete starter-grower feeds provide all the nutrients baby chicks need. Feed the same complete starter-grower feed from day 1 to week 18. Do not switch feeds until you transition to a complete layer feed around week 18.

Want more tips? Visit https://www.purinamills.com/chick-days for chicken feed recommendations, guides to raising chickens and other backyard chicken resources.

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