Walk down the chicken feed aisle and you’ll find plenty of choices. Starter. Grower. Layer. Medicated. Non-medicated. Pellets. Crumbles. Flock feed.

If you’re wondering which bag you actually need, you’re definitely not the first person to ask.

The easiest way to narrow it down is to look at the birds you’re feeding. How old are they? Are they laying eggs? Do you have chickens only, or are ducks, geese or other birds eating out of the same feeder?

Once you know that, choosing a feed gets a whole lot easier.

Here’s how we usually walk customers through it at Johnson Feed.

What should I feed baby chicks?

Start baby chicks on a complete chick starter feed from day one. For laying breeds, Purina Start & Grow is a good option.

It has 18% protein and is made to be fed from hatch until your birds reach laying age, usually around 18 to 20 weeks.

You’ll sometimes hear that chicks have to switch from starter to a separate grower feed after a few weeks. That’s not always the case.

With Purina Start & Grow, the “grow” part is already built into the feeding program. You can keep your laying-breed chicks on it until they’re ready for layer feed.

And don’t forget the water. Chicks need fresh, clean water available all the time. Keep their feed dry, clean out wet or dirty feed, and use feeders and waterers that are easy for little birds to reach.

When do I switch chicks to layer feed?

If you’re feeding Purina Start & Grow, keep feeding it until your pullets are about 18 to 20 weeks old or start laying.

Then you can gradually move them over to a complete layer feed such as Purina Layena Pellets.

Why wait?

Young birds are still growing. Layer feed is made for hens that are producing eggs and contains more calcium to support eggshell production.

So don’t switch a six- or eight-week-old chick to layer feed just because that’s what the older hens are eating.

This is also why we tell people to read the directions on the bag they’re actually feeding. Feeding programs aren’t exactly the same from one product to another.

Medicated or non-medicated chick starter?

This question comes up all the time.

Medicated chick starter helps protect young chicks against coccidiosis. Non-medicated starter doesn’t contain that medication.

Coccidiosis is caused by microscopic parasites called coccidia that can damage a bird’s intestinal tract. Young chicks can be especially susceptible.

Purina Start & Grow Medicated contains amprolium to help prevent coccidiosis. Amprolium isn’t an antibiotic.

So which one should you buy?

First, find out whether your chicks were vaccinated for coccidiosis.

If they were, check the hatchery’s instructions before using a medicated starter containing amprolium. If you’re buying chicks locally, it’s worth asking about vaccination when you pick them up.

If you’re standing in the store trying to decide between the two bags and you’re not sure, ask us. Tell us where the chicks came from and what you know about them, and we’ll help you sort it out.

What should I feed laying hens?

Once your hens reach laying age, it’s time for a complete layer feed.

Purina Layena Pellets are a popular choice. Layena has 16% protein and is formulated with the calcium and other nutrients laying hens need for egg production.

We also carry Purina Layena Crumbles. Nutritionally, pellets versus crumbles isn’t a big mystery. A lot of it comes down to what works best for your birds. Some chickens prefer crumbles. Pellets can be a little less messy because the birds can’t pick through the feed as easily. If half your feed seems to wind up on the ground, we’d probably try pellets and see if that cuts down on waste.

Whichever form you choose, make the complete layer feed the main part of their diet.

What about oyster shell?

You can offer oyster shell separately as a free-choice source of calcium for laying hens. That doesn’t mean every shell problem is a calcium problem, though. If your hens suddenly start laying thin or weak shells, take a look at the whole picture. Their age, diet, heat, stress and other factors can all play a part.

If you’re not sure what’s going on, come talk to us before you start throwing a bunch of supplements at them.

Can chickens and ducks eat the same feed?

Sometimes. But you want to make sure the feed is actually made for both.

Ducks aren’t just chickens with webbed feet. They have some different nutritional needs, including a higher need for niacin while they’re growing. For an all-duck flock, we carry Purina Duck Feed Pellets. It’s made specifically with ducks in mind.

But maybe your backyard looks more like this:

Six hens. A rooster. Two ducks. Maybe a goose that thinks it owns the place. That’s when a mixed-flock feed can make life a lot simpler.

What should I feed a mixed flock?

If chickens, ducks or geese are all sharing the same feeder, take a look at Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles.

Flock Raiser is a 20% protein complete feed formulated for chickens, ducks and geese. It works well in a lot of backyard situations where different types of poultry are eating together.

It’s also useful when you have hens and roosters sharing a feeder. Remember, a rooster doesn’t need a layer ration. He isn’t making eggs. The same goes for younger birds that aren’t laying yet.

With a mixed flock, the question isn’t just, “What should I feed my hens?” It’s “Who’s eating out of this feeder?”

If you have laying hens eating Flock Raiser along with the rest of the flock, ask us about offering a separate free-choice calcium source for the hens.

Can I give my chickens treats?

Of course. Chickens love treats. The main thing to remember is that treats are treats. Your chickens still need to get most of their nutrition from a complete poultry feed.

If they’re filling up on scratch, mealworms and other goodies all day, they’re eating less of the balanced feed you actually want them to eat.

We carry quite a few Happy Hen treats at Johnson Feed, including Happy Hen Grub Frenzy, Mealworm Frenzy, Bug Bonanza, Cricket Craze, Party Mix varieties and more.

Scatter a little around the run and let them scratch for it. Use a few treats to get everybody back into the coop. Or keep some handy if you’re trying to get younger birds comfortable around you.

Just don’t let dessert become dinner.

What should I feed chickens when they’re molting?

If your chickens suddenly look like somebody opened a feather pillow in the coop, they’re probably molting.

Molting is normal. Chickens shed old feathers and grow new ones, and making all those new feathers takes a lot out of them.

Feathers are largely made of protein, so this is another situation where Purina Flock Raiser can be useful. It contains 20% protein and can provide additional nutritional support during molt.

Don’t be surprised if egg production slows down or stops for a while. That’s normal, too. Their bodies are putting resources into growing feathers. Give them good feed, plenty of clean water and some time.

Pellets or crumbles: which is better?

There’s no need to overthink this one.

For adult chickens, pellets and crumbles can both work well. If you’re comparing two forms of the same complete feed, you’re mostly deciding which form works better for your flock and your setup.

Pellets can help cut down on waste because chickens can’t sort through them as easily.

Crumbles are smaller pieces, and some birds seem to prefer them.

Watch your chickens and watch the ground around your feeder. If you’re buying a lot of feed but your chickens are throwing half of it on the floor, that’s worth fixing.

And however you buy it, keep your feed dry. Store bags somewhere cool and protected from moisture, rodents and insects. If feed gets moldy, don’t feed it.

So, what should I buy?

Here’s the short version.

Got baby chicks?
Start with Purina Start & Grow. Depending on your chicks and vaccination status, you may need the medicated or non-medicated version.

Got laying hens?
Look at Purina Layena Pellets or Crumbles.

Got chickens, ducks, geese or different types of birds eating together?
Purina Flock Raiser may be the easier way to feed everybody from the same feeder.

Got ducks?
For an all-duck flock, take a look at Purina Duck Feed.

Want to spoil the chickens a little?
That’s what the Happy Hen treats are for. Just keep them in the treat category and let complete feed do the heavy lifting.

Still not sure what to feed your chickens?

Come see us. Johnson Feed Company carries chicken feed and poultry supplies at our store in Lewisville. We help chicken owners from Lewisville, Flower Mound and the surrounding Denton County area figure this stuff out every day.

You don’t need to know all the feed terminology before you walk in.

Just tell us:

• What kind of birds you have
• How old they are
• Whether they’re laying
• Whether different birds share the same feeder

We’ll go from there.

Stop by the store and tell us about your flock. We’ll help you find the feed that makes sense for your birds.