7 week-old chicks - How much access to free food?

[arazla]

Hello, I'd like to know how much we should be tapering free access to chick starter/grower at this age. My chicks are still in a tent in the living room and we're hoping to move them to their coop (they're outside when we can supervise during the day) as soon as the weather stays at least 40 degrees at night. I read that chicks should have free access to food, but thinking they may need to be weaned of that now? They seem to be eating at night sometimes, probably because I accidentally wake them up when I go into the kitchen which is connected to our living room.

 

[nuthatched]

They can go outside at 7 weeks. A chicken at any age should have unlimited access to formulated food during waking hours. :]

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unless these are meat birds that you're deliberately trying to NOT put weight on, chicks should have food available when they're awake. If you're using a heat lamp, that means 24/7. If no heat lamp and with a natural day/night cycle, they will not eat at night.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Food always accessible. Even free ranging they will hit the feed bucket through the course of the day.

 

[arazla]

Unless these are meat birds that you're deliberately trying to NOT put weight on, chicks should have food available when they're awake. If you're using a heat lamp, that means 24/7. If no heat lamp and with a natural day/night cycle, they will not eat at night.

We stopped using the heat lamp because it's around 70 degrees in our home and they're 7 weeks old. But it could the light from the kitchen is waking them up.

 

[arazla]

Thanks everyone.