How to Feed a Baby Chick | Starter Feed Basics

Feed baby chicks a complete chick starter feed, kept available free-choice around the clock, from their first day until about 8 weeks old.

Getting a new batch of chicks home is exciting, but their first weeks are fragile. What you put in their feeder during that stretch shapes their growth, feather development, and long-term health. The good news is that the feeding routine itself is simple: one complete starter feed, always available, with clean water beside it. Here’s the full picture, from day one through the transition to grower feed.

The First Day: Water and Starter Feed

When chicks arrive, their first need is hydration. Offer room-temperature fresh water immediately. Many keepers dip each chick’s beak gently into the waterer once, just to teach them where it is. After they’ve had a chance to drink, introduce the starter feed.

Keep that starter feed available continuously, free-choice, so chicks can eat whenever they feel the need. Young chicks have tiny crops and high metabolisms; they need to eat little and often throughout the day. A shallow dish or a dedicated chick feeder works well, but note that open dishes get messy fast and can raise contamination risks, so plan to clean and refill them regularly.

Choosing the Right Starter Feed

A complete commercial chick starter is the only feed chicks need for their first eight weeks. Look for a crumbled feed, which is easy for small beaks to pick up. The protein content matters: chick starter typically runs 18–22 percent protein. Some guides recommend 20–22 percent for the first eight weeks, while others suggest 18–20 percent at hatch. Either range supports healthy growth, so check the bag and pick a starter within those bounds.

Do not feed layer feed to chicks. Layer feed is high in calcium, and that extra calcium can harm a chick’s developing kidneys. Chicks need a starter ration, not a layer ration, until they’re much older.

Treats, Grit, and the Transition to Grower Feed

Skip treats entirely for the first week or two. Chicks need the complete nutrition of their starter feed, and filling up on treats can crowd out the balanced ration they need. If you do offer treats later, keep them tiny and limited. Chop anything into very small pieces to reduce choking risk, and avoid large or hard foods altogether.

Grit is only necessary if chicks eat anything besides commercial starter feed. Chick-sized grit helps grind up foods like greens or kitchen scraps; if your chicks eat only starter, grit is not required. If you do offer extras, provide chick grit separately so they can take what they need.

Around week six to eight, start the transition to grower feed. Don’t switch abruptly—gradually mix the starter with the grower over several days, increasing the grower proportion each day. This slow blend gives their digestive systems time to adjust. Once the transition is complete, your chicks are off starter feed for good.

For feeder setup ideas and a closer look at models that keep feed clean and accessible, see our roundup of the best baby chick feeders tested this season.