Moving day

[beeksnfeet]

Our coop/run area is almost complete. The girls are so excited. If all goes well they will be moving outside this weekend to their new palatial estate, Cluck-a-lot. The girls purchased a home in the popluar Behindtheshed subdivision. I hear it is quite a nice neighborhood. Oh well, here we are..... empty nester's once again.......sigh. They all move out sooner or later.

Anyway I have a question regarding nourishment for them. I have been experimenting with different treats for them while they have been in the house. They like banana, strawberries (sort of), cut grass, weeds, dry oatmeal. They really like the seed pods that are blowing all over here from the different trees in our area too. I give them chick starter (they are 8 weeks today) and they have been on grit (free choice) since they were nearly 3 weeks old. Water has ACV in it and is fresh daily. Do I need to switch them to something other then the chick starter now that they will be outside? I have gotten so many different opinions that my head is spinning. One says to keep them on chick starter to 16 weeks then switch to layer feed & also add oyster shell for calcium. One tells me to buy 'in-between-stages' feed (?). And the final one said that it depends on their size now. I have always thought the first option was the way to go, but would like some feed back. When I do start the oyster shell, can it be mixed with the grit or food as we are short on space and 3 feeders just isn't an option. Do I need to have all of this available in the coop too? I'd appreciate any response!

 

[csberge]

Yes, I want to know too!! Completely confused on which way to go. So I'm hoping some of the wiser BYC people will reply!

 

[Den in Penn]

There are as many opinions as there are people raising chicks. The only thing I try not to do is give them extra calcium until they start laying. The difference between starter and grower in the protein levels. Just hatched chicks can use the higher protein percent in starter the older chicks don't need as high protein as their growth has slowed. You do not need to change them to a grower. The difference between a grower and a layer is the percent of calcium. Calcium can hurt a chicks organs if the level is to high, while hens need the extra calcium for the egg shells. The grower having less protein is usually cheaper. Once they start laying if you have them on a grower you don't need to switch them to a layer if they have adequate calcium available. You don't need full size feeders for grit and oyster shell a small tuna size can tacked up will do for both. I don't mix grit and/or oyster shell with the feed because hens can regulate what they need, if it was mixed in they would have no choice. And just moving them outside should have nothing to do with what feed is offered.

 

[beeksnfeet]

There are as many opinions as there are people raising chicks.  The only thing I try not to do is give them extra calcium until they start laying.  The difference between starter and grower in the protein levels.  Just hatched chicks can use the higher protein percent in starter the older chicks don't need as high protein as their growth has slowed.  You do not need to change them to a grower.  The difference between a grower and a layer is the percent of calcium.  Calcium can hurt a chicks organs if the level is to high, while hens need the extra calcium for the egg shells.  The grower having less protein is usually cheaper.  Once they start laying if you have them on a grower you don't need to switch them to a layer if they have adequate calcium available. You don't need full size feeders for grit and oyster shell a small tuna size can tacked up will do for both.  I don't mix grit and/or oyster shell with the feed because hens can regulate what they need, if it was mixed in they would have no choice.   And just moving them outside should have nothing to do with what feed is offered.

Thanks so much for the input. They should be going outside this weekend. The coop is finished and just one corner of the run needs a little more done. I think I will let them out a little bit tomorrow and then alittle more the next day. Hopefully they will be out full time Monday. I will have food and water, grit available in both the run and coop for them! Thanks again for your reply