I'm picking up my 7 week old girls today and have feed/grit questions

[3chickchicks]

Seems like 7-8 weeks is about when you switch from starter to grower feed (these will be laying hens). I'm only getting 3 chicks so I wonder what your opinion is on whether I should start giving them grower feed or if I need to give them another week of starter?

Second question is about grit. I've seen 7 week old chicks are too young for grit, need #2 size grit, can take adult size grit. Which one do I go with?

Thanks!

 

[NYSAHMof3]

Interested to hear the responses. I have 16 seven week olds. I was going to feed the medicated starter for another month, hang on till they were twelve weeks. I have been sprinkling on baby grit but was going to mix 3lbs baby grit into the 100lbs of feed I bought yesterday. Maybe I will reconsider and switch it up.

 

[happylittlehens]

You can switch to grower feed now. I kept mine on starter until about 12 weeks, but only because I had an extra bag that I needed to get rid of. Also, they don't need grit if they are only eating processed feed. I'm not sure what size they would need at that age. I gave mine chick grit until they were about 10 weeks old, but now they just take care of their own since they are roam 1/8 acre area outside all day.

 

[3chickchicks]

You can switch to grower feed now. I kept mine on starter until about 12 weeks, but only because I had an extra bag that I needed to get rid of. Also, they don't need grit if they are only eating processed feed. I'm not sure what size they would need at that age. I gave mine chick grit until they were about 10 weeks old, but now they just take care of their own since they are roam 1/8 acre area outside all day.

I'm going to keep them in the coop/run for a week to get them used to "home" and then they will free range during the day. The soil I have is a clay soil so I'm not sure they'll be able to get grit naturally. I just want to make sure they have the means to be healthy birds.