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Feeding young birds
 Following on from last month once your chicks have reached the age of 6-8 weeks they are ready to be changed over to a growers ration. Remember as with any change to the diet it is important to make it gradually, ideally over a 7 day period to allow the bacteria in the gut time to adjust and to avoid any digestive problems.
For all birds whether they are destined for the table, show or just pets a growers ration is still important to provide the correct nutrition for your birds at this important time of their development, their protein requirements will not be quite as high as young chicks, and a feed with a protein content of around 16% is desirable. However they still need to be provided with a high quality feed to match their vitamin and mineral needs, particularly of calcium and phosphorous for strong bones. Using a feed specifically formulated for young growing birds takes the worry ensuring your birds are receiving all the nutrients they need for steady growth. Generally young, growing birds can be fed ad lib, but don’t forget to keep an eye on their growth and if this appears to be happening too rapidly, their feed intake may need to be restricted a little.
Table birds can of course remain on a growers ration but birds that are being kept for laying will need to be changed on to a layers ration once they reach point of lay at approximately 16-18 weeks of age. For show birds there are specific feeds with higher levels of oil for good quality plumage and again these birds should be changed over gradually once they reach 16-20 weeks of age.
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