7 week olds. - food and water advice please?

[Jose21]

I have two 7-week olds which we have raised from hatching are doing very well and growing by the day. They are now living outside in a 9ft outdoor run and coop. They seem to want to spend quite a lot of time in the coop, though they seem happy enough pecking outside at other times.

My query is that I have just taken their food and drink out of the coop (previously I have had food/drink both inside and out) because in common with other people, I was finding that they were always spilling it or getting their bedding in it. But I am worried that they will not bother going down the steps to find the food...? At this age surely they will make the effort to find their food?

They loved hard boiled egg, which I give them every other day and a sprig of broccoli - but they don't like any other treats. They are also still on chick crumb - should I be changing this soon?

PS We do intend to get more chickens, but need to wait until 18 weeks for integration. These two were the only females from the eggs we hatched.

 

[BoltonChicken]

I am worried that they will not bother going down the steps to find the food...

No worries. If there is food within 100 yards the chickens are going to find it!

I keep food in the run and nipple waters in both coop and run. No food in the coop. At 8 weeks they go in and out
of the coop all day long.

Keep them on medicated chick grower feed until 18 weeks. Then switch to layer feed.

I give mine some scratch, grass clippings, melon rinds, blueberries to supplement their chick growers.
Woe to the insect that invades their run.​