Can I switch 6 week old chicks from starter to grower food?

[RileyB]

I have 8, 6 week old chicks. One of them gets pecked by the others and is in with a duckling. I cannot leave food out 24/7 for the chick/duck because at this point they eat different food (e.g. chick eats medicated food, duck eats specific food for waterfowl). The duck really needs to have food 24/7, and they can both eat the same grower food. I was planning to switch the chicks to grower at 8 weeks, but am wondering if I can switch at least the one chick with the duck to grower food now so that I can leave it out for the duck 24/7.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

My preferred brand of feed recommends making the change from starter to grower at five weeks and keeping them on grower until you find the first eggs so you are within the window for the change. I personally prefer to make the change in the eight to ten week window myself.

If you're feeding a starter/grower such as some brands like Purina produce where they split the nutritional differences between the two feed types you can keep them on it all the way until its time to move them to layer.