Insights on the Chicken Life Cycle from Egg to Maturity!
In the world of poultry farming, understanding the growth life cycle of chickens is crucial for ensuring a healthy and productive flock. From hatch to retirement, each stage of a chicken's life requires different nutrients to support their growth and wellbeing.
A chick will be considered a full-grown chicken by the time six months have passed. However, most of a chicken's life is spent not laying eggs. In the first few weeks after hatching, chicks need starter feed containing around 18% protein and essential amino acids for rapid growth and development.
During weeks 16 and 17, the major jump from starter feed to layer feed should occur. This feed contains less protein and more calcium to prepare the chicken for egg production. After this transition, chickens move onto grower feed, which has a moderate protein level, followed by finisher feed with lower protein content to maximise weight gain before marketing or the start of egg production.
Once hens start laying eggs regularly (5-6 months), their diet shifts to layer feed, which is formulated with around 16-18% protein, calcium, and other nutrients to support egg production and shell quality. During the layer feed stage, key vitamins or minerals should be included to help the chicken continue to age healthily.
Neglecting a chicken's health can negatively impact the purpose they serve. Retired chickens from laying eggs should be fed a diet high in protein to support their remaining life. Understanding the chicken growth life cycle helps determine the appropriate food and nutrients required for healthy growth and living.
During molting, chickens require more protein in their feed due to protein loss from shedding feathers. After molting, chickens can return to their previous feed when they start laying eggs again. The average lifespan of a chicken is between 5 to 10 years, with some living up to 12 years under certain conditions. Most hens lay around 12 eggs, which hatch a day apart on average, and chicken eggs should hatch in roughly 21 days if using an incubator.
Chickens continue to lay eggs for over a year before their capacity to lay eggs will dwindle. Ensuring a chicken's health is crucial for the overall success of the flock. After approximately 1.5 years, chickens enter the molting season, where they shed their feathers for a few weeks.
Chickens go through three primary stages of life: The Egg, The Chick, and The Chicken. Some chickens may be ready to lay eggs as soon as 18 weeks after they are hatched. Alternative feed ingredients like fennel seed meal are explored in studies during the starter, grower, and finisher phases, which may affect health and performance but require balanced formulations.
Treats such as black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are popular supplements, but they should not replace formulated feeds as they do not meet all nutrient requirements alone. The article on the chicken growth life cycle was originally written for this platform on March 14, 2023.
