When to switch food

[StarlynMarie]

I have four chicks, two Rhode Island reds and two black Australorps, all roughly about four months old. They've already gotten so big, where does the time go? So far, since we've gotten them, they've been on medicated chick feed. But, just out of curiosity, when is it okay to switch them from the chick feed to just regular chicken feed? The feed store we bought them from, the person helping us said we would easily go through five fifty pound bags of the medicated stuff. So I was wondering at what age can they be switched over? Does it have to be gradually? Like mixing the foods little by little to wean them off the chick feed? Or can they just be switched right then and there with no problems?

Being new to raising chickens, I would like all the opinions I can get. All sources of advice are more than welcome.

Please and thank you~!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I use an all flock raiser from hatch to lay, so I don't switch feed anymore... don't use medicated either... used to switch at 6 weeks to grower feed until they started laying, then layer feed... and just switched as soon as bag was empty, never had problems with changing it over...

 

[barneveldrerman]

I just feed flock raiser from when they are little till they need layer feed. You don't need medicated, all it is is medication in the food. You pay more then you need to. If they start to get ill you can just give them medicine. Never have bought medicated and never will. They haven't got sick before. When you do switch to layer food later on you can gradually feed it or just switch it.


Hope this helps!