Do I need to feed the chicks anything to get them ready to free range?

sillycmoy

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I'm so very close to having the fully enclosed run done with my coop, and my 2 oldest chicks are 4-5 weeks old, and then I have another 6 that are 2 weeks. All were rescued, that's why I have an age difference. They have been on Medicated Chick Start, and its like a fine powder, but I didn't know if I needed to start giving them anything else to get them ready to go outside and free range. They will most likely stay in their chicken coop with large run for the first few weeks till they get a little bigger. Their fully enclosed run is 8 ft by 8 ft. and is on dirt. When I let the free range, they will have a huge side yard of a 100 x 45 that is a mixture of dirt, grass, gravel, and of course trees and bushes. I didn't know if I need to give them anything to get them ready to go outside and eat bugs and whatever else they eat. I have read posts where people are giving them grit and oyster shells. Do I need to give this to them?
 
Grit is a good thing to offer your peeps, but you don't need to feed them anything special. They will know what to do when you let them out.
 
Oyster shell is a source of calcium for layers, at this young age they do not need that yet. You really don't need to feed them anything special to get them ready to forage. Just keep feeding them their starter/grower until they start to lay. They'll need grit but may find plenty of that in the yard, I offer it anyway.
 
I've never heard of giving them anything special to get them ready for freedom. If there's a lot of nice grassy area be ready for some super dark orange yolks.
 

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