New to BYC

[ecwb12]

Hi BYC community, I'm very happy to be a newly joined member! I have just brought home my first ever flock of chicks a couple of days ago. I have 5 golden sex link hens that are happy in their brooder, and I am currently working on their coop in my backyard. I have a couple of questions right off the bat:

First, I have been feeding them complete starter feed with sufficient nutrients, but I have seen supplemental starter feed that is meant to be mixed with other feed in a 1-9 ratio. My question is would that added boost be good for my chicks or would it be unnecessary/overloading on protein or something?

Second, I have seen many different timelines concerning how long chicks stay in their brooders, but it seems like all of that depends on a lot of factors. Are there any surefire signs I should watch for that would tell me they are ready to move on out of their brooder?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Chat with other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Make yourself at home and enjoy the forums.

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[j1lly99]

Welcome. As you know, search it before you ask it. You'll probably find it.
I'll let someone more experienced answer your questions. IMO, the sooner you get them outside the better.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[AquaDuck]

Welcome!
Congrats on your new chicks, they're beautiful! There's a bunch of good articles in the Hatching eggs & raising chickens section of learning center.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Welcome! Your new chicks are adorable!
I took my babies out of the brooder and put them outside on my deck two weeks ago at age three and a half weeks. It is fairly warm here with temps in the eighties but I still kept a heat lamp on them, mostly at night and on chillier days. I have them in a large dog crate while we build our new coop in the backyard.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I've never heard of supplemental starter feed, just starter. I would stick to feeding a complete starter that offers 18-20% protein and leave it at that.
If it's really warm where you are, the chicks can go out to the coop when night time temps stay above 70. Otherwise the absolute latest they should go out is when they are 6 weeks old.

 

[Isaac 0]

Hello, and Welcome to BackYard Chickens! So great to have you here!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUNomenal Flock!
Grab a roost & enjoy your time here!

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to the pulse beat of the chicken community BACKYARD CHICKENS. Chickens prefer the wide side of a roost bar, they like their feet flat in front of them.