another question that I feel like I should know the answer to

[curliet]

The other day I asked when my broody mom would be ready to move her chick into the "big girls coop" You guys told me it would be any day, and sure enough, today they are in there. So, the next question is....all the chickens in that coop are eating layer crumble. I only have 1 chick right now, a little over 5 weeks old. If I keep chick starter there for her/him, the hens will eat it. Don't want them to eat medicated feed. Is it ok for the chick at that age to just eat the layer crumble that everyone else eats?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It's not good for a chick to eat layer crumble. You don't HAVE to use medicated starter food, but that's just my own opinion. You could use something like Flock Raiser that everyone could eat and keep a side dish of oyster shell or crushed egg shells for your laying girls.

Or... you could raise your feeder full of layer crumble so you're sure the chick can't get in it and make sure the chick gets chick food multiple times per day. This scenario would be best if your chick was also free ranging and getting grub with mommy.

I'm sure others will chime in as I'm inexperienced, but I do know the layer food is absolutely not ideal (and may indeed be harmful) for chicks.

 

[Kedreeva]

If I recall, the big girls can eat the medicated starter, it won't hurt them. I wouldn't feed it to them as their sole food source, but if you put it out for the chick and they get into it, I do not believe it will hurt them. Bigger problem is the chicks not getting enough of any food of they have to fight the big ones for their share. Make sure everyone is getting enough and no one is playing guard the food source.