I have three 3-week-old chicks being raised by a broody with the flock and everybody is eating medicated chick starter. I have an unfinished bag of flock raiser from before the chicks hatched, and I don't want it to sit around and get old until the chicks grow up. I'm using Purina and their chick starter is 18% protein, while the flock raiser is 20% protein. Can I switch the whole flock to flock raiser? I don't think there's a way to feed the adults and the chicks separately, so the chicks would be eating flock raiser as well. Is 3 weeks of medicated feed plus life outside enough to give the chicks enough of an advantage against coccidiosis? Their coop is kept very dry and their run is partially covered and has wood chips for bedding, so it doesn't get muddy or gross at all. I'm trying to figure out if there's any downsides to feeding the chicks flock raiser. Crumble size is a little bit larger but that won't be an issue for them, they're old enough to swallow much bigger things by now.
I also have another batch of chicks in a brooder inside the house, so the unfinished bag of medicated chick starter can be finished by them.
I also have another batch of chicks in a brooder inside the house, so the unfinished bag of medicated chick starter can be finished by them.