I think we messed up

[Lbyrd8512]

Hi we have chickens for the first time we got
Them back in February. We have a grown rooster and a grown hen in one pen and then in another one we have 10 week old chicks. with them getting so big we felt it was time to put them into the big pen with the rooster and hen and all went well with that but then i realized when we first got the chicks we accidentally started them on medicated chick food and I read once you start them on it you can’t stop. So we kept on with it. Well after putting the ten week olds in the run with the other two chickens (it went very well) I remembered the chicks we on medicated food so I googled when they could switch and it says 17 weeks so do we just need to put all the ten weekend back in the other pen and wait 7 more weeks to put them in the big pen? Advice please

we are new and learning so please don’t fuss at me

 

[chickenlittle21]

That is a myth about the medicated chick food, you could switch it anytime. You should switch over to chick grower like right now or your chicks may develop incorrectly.

 

[Lbyrd8512]

That is a myth about the medicated chick food, you could switch it anytime. You should switch over to chick grower like right now or your chicks may develop incorrectly.

Okay thank you!! With them having the be on different food than the grown rooster and chicken, can they all be in the same run? What if they eat each others food?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Hi we have chickens for the first time we got
Them back in February. We have a grown rooster and a grown hen in one pen and then in another one we have 10 week old chicks. with them getting so big we felt it was time to put them into the big pen with the rooster and hen and all went well with that but then i realized when we first got the chicks we accidentally started them on medicated chick food and I read once you start them on it you can’t stop. So we kept on with it. Well after putting the ten week olds in the run with the other two chickens (it went very well) I remembered the chicks we on medicated food so I googled when they could switch and it says 17 weeks so do we just need to put all the ten weekend back in the other pen and wait 7 more weeks to put them in the big pen? Advice please

we are new and learning so please don’t fuss at me

I think you'll be fine but you should switch the adult birds to grower feed. Chicks won't be laying for another 6-14 weeks at least depending on the breed. Mine were all at 20-22 weeks when they started. Supposedly too much calcium is not good for the wee ones. I switched my babies to layer feed at 17 weeks old when I incorporated them into the big flock, too early by some standards but I wanted the laying hens to have layer feed and I anticipated them to start laying soon.

 

[chickenlittle21]

Okay thank you!! With them having the be on different food than the grown rooster and chicken, can they all be in the same run? What if they eat each others food?

I have 17 chicks in the same coop as 2 adult chickens. They do sometimes eat each others food but it doesn't seem to have an effect.

 

[Lbyrd8512]

I have 17 chicks in the same coop as 2 adult chickens. They do sometimes eat each others food but it doesn't seem to have an effect.

Okay cool thank you so much!!

 

[DobieLover]

A great alternative in a mixed flock is to feed All Flock or Flock Raiser (my personal preference) to everyone from hatch on. Provide multiple containers of oyster shell on the side for active layers.
The layer feeds don't contain a good level of protein, just the minimum. And roosters/cockerels, chicks, pre-POL pullets and molting hens all do not need that extra calcium which will, in time, cause health issues including premature death.

 

[keesmom]

I second the recommendation of Flock Raiser. I also feed it starting from hatch through old age.

 

[Lbyrd8512]

Okay I will definitely look into that. Can I switch them all to that now?