Wrong feed for chicks?

[babysteps]

I sent hubby to get a couple bags of starter for our month-old chicks on Tuesday, knowing we'd be out by today. When I went to feed them today, I checked the bags he got---and they're BROILER starter, not regular chick starter.

Will this hurt them to feed once? I didn't have any choice but to give them the feed on hand. I'll get regular feed tomorrow... but I didn't think they should be without food for a whole day.

Poor hubby... he had no idea there were different types of chick starter!

[Belle]

It won't hurt them to feed them the whole bag (not all at once, of course). The broiler starter has a slightly higher protein content. I feed mine game bird starter, which has an even higher protein content.

[babysteps]

Oh good! So I should be ok in maybe mixing the broiler feed half and half with the regular feed that I will get tomorrow? I just don't want to make them sick or anything, but I also hate to waste a 50# bag of feed!!!!

[Belle]

I wouldn't even mix it. It won't hurt them. They're not like puppies, where a change in diet will upset their digestion.

[Yooper]

We too started out chicks out with game bird starter (like for guinea keets) 6 weeks ago. They've done fine although the protein at 20% is a bit higher than they really need. No harm done. I'd use the new bag now. I think we'll start mixing in the 16 % layer mash in the next few weeks as they are transferred to the main coop for the winter.
Yooper Wife

[QFMom]

some people use game bird starter (a high protein starter) for chicks because it is all they can get in unmedicated.... not sure if that is important to you. We can get unmedicated chick starter here....

[bj]

I sent hubby to get a couple bags of starter for our month-old chicks on Tuesday, knowing we'd be out by today. When I went to feed them today, I checked the bags he got---and they're BROILER starter, not regular chick starter.

Will this hurt them to feed once? I didn't have any choice but to give them the feed on hand. I'll get regular feed tomorrow... but I didn't think they should be without food for a whole day.

Poor hubby... he had no idea there were different types of chick starter!
Na feed them, might have to smash it up for the wee one's and it will do till hubby gets the chick starter.....we have raised many chicks.. ;pts of fun, but our neighbors dogs like them more....so my now 4 batams have to be locked up and not run free.....bj Ar

[momof23goats]

won't hurt them a bit.