Hey Permies friends! 🐔🌻
I'm Babatunde Oladepo, an organic chicken farmer from Nigeria, and I've got a quick but super important tip for you today:
Knowing exactly when to switch your broilers to finisher feed can make a HUGE difference!
I’ll be honest — back when I started, I thought I could just “feel it out.”
Big mistake. I ended up with birds that didn’t gain weight properly and, worse, spent extra money on starter feed when they didn’t need it anymore.
Lesson learned the hard way!
Here's the Simple Truth:
👉 You should switch your broilers to finisher feed at around 4 to 5 weeks old.
👉 Or, even better, when they hit about 1.5 to 1.8kg (around 3.3 to 4 lbs).
👉 If you wait too long, you waste money. If you switch too early, you might slow their growth.
It’s a fine balance — and getting it right will give you heavier, healthier birds and better profits (or tastier meals if you’re raising for home use).
I actually put together a full timing guide if you want to dive deeper into it:
👉
Broiler Finisher Feed Timing Guide
It covers the signs your birds are ready, a simple checklist you can use each week, and even a few common timing mistakes I’ve seen (and made myself!).
Quick Tips to Make the Switch Smoothly:
✅ Mix Starter + Finisher for 2–3 Days: Don’t just swap overnight.
✅ Watch Their Appetite: If they seem slower to eat, back off a little and blend feeds more gradually.
✅ Monitor Weight Weekly: A cheap scale will save you a lot of guesswork!
I’d Love to Hear From You!
When do you usually switch your broilers to finisher feed?
Ever had a batch that surprised you — either faster or slower growers?
Any secret tips you use to get that timing just right?
Let’s chat below! 👇
I’m always excited to hear from fellow chicken keepers and swap ideas.
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