How long do I grind up crumble for the chicks?

[FloorCandy]

My coturnix chicks are about 2 days old, how much longer should I grind up the crumble, they seem to be capable of pecking and grabbing pretty well so far, do they start breaking it up, or do I have to wait until they are grown? I’m thinking unground it won’t fly around as much or stick to them, I’m refilling their bowl quite often because they make such a mess and it goes everywhere.

 

[Nabiki]

I don't start feeding mine crumble until they're at least two weeks old.

 

[BESSIE THE QUAIL]

just keep grinding it until their beaks arer big enough to eat the regular unground stuff

 

[FloorCandy]

Ok will do, thank you

 

[mdees88]

I used to grind my feed up but I haven't for the last several hundred chicks I've hatched. They will eat straight crumble poured right out of the bag from day one.

I spread the crumble on a paper towel and later in the day it's all gone and the chick's are bigger. Thet bite it and it breaks into smaller pieces and they eat the smaller pieces.

Around day 2-3 I put the crumble in a tractor supply chick feeder and they eat out of it from there on.

Just how I do it....

 

[Fenrisulfr]

I feed crumbles till end of week 4 .
Then I start to mix +10% adult pellets each day, so that I am on week 5.5 totally in adult pellets.

Workers great the last 1.5 Years on 4 hatchings!

 

[FloorCandy]

I ground up some more and put it in the feeder bowl, but I also spread a handful of crumbles around for them to forage, and they are definitely pecking at them, so at least it’s a bit of mental enrichment if nothing else.

Do I have to swap to pellets or can they keep eating crumbles? I bought a 20lb bag of crumbles and that will certainly last more than 5 or 6 weeks I think.

I planned to feed it until 2/3 done, then transition to pellets, and keep some for future chicks, but I plan to only hatch 4 or 5 at a time in the future, so it will last a while. The current food is 28% protein, not medicated. I thought once they can eat our vegetable scraps and live outside, their diet will be pretty varried anyway.

 

[Nabiki]

I feed mine crumbles for their entire lives.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

I ground up some more and put it in the feeder bowl, but I also spread a handful of crumbles around for them to forage, and they are definitely pecking at them, so at least it’s a bit of mental enrichment if nothing else.

Do I have to swap to pellets or can they keep eating crumbles? I bought a 20lb bag of crumbles and that will certainly last more than 5 or 6 weeks I think.

I planned to feed it until 2/3 done, then transition to pellets, and keep some for future chicks, but I plan to only hatch 4 or 5 at a time in the future, so it will last a while. The current food is 28% protein, not medicated. I thought once they can eat our vegetable scraps and live outside, their diet will be pretty varried anyway.

Crumbles or pellets is just a personal preference, but you should not use the starter crumbles in adult age.
Too high protein can cause egg bound.

This is why I am lowering the protein step by step to 19% from week 4 to week 6