You will find we all do this differently. As far as I am concerned there is only one rule, do not feed them a high calcium feed until they need it for their egg shells when they are laying. If you look on the tag on the feed bag the calcium level should be somewhere between 0.5 to 1.5 %. If it is between 3.5 to 4.5 % that’s way too much for growing chicks.
The only other important variable is percent protein, that’s also on the tag. There is often a chart on the bag that tells you when they recommend feeding a certain feed to the chicks. That chart is a safe way to go but a lot of us ignore it and do our own thing. I generally feed a high protein Starter feed, around 20% protein, until they are feathered out, usually around 4 to 5 weeks. When that bag runs out after they are feathered out I switch to a Grower, around 16% protein. That may be after 4 weeks, it may be after 8 weeks, it’s not a big deal.
Mine stay on that Grower for the rest of their lives. I offer oyster shell on the side so the ones that need extra calcium for egg shells can eat it, the ones that don’t need it don’t eat enough to harm themselves. Others switch to a Layer feed, which should have most of the calcium they need for their egg shells.
As you can see others do differently. They might start them out on a higher protein feed, they may keep them on a higher protein feed. It’s not that big of a deal, the chickens can handle it. It’s not about how much is in on bite, it’s about how many grams they eat over the entire day, and even then it’s more of an average over a few days’ time. If yours are going to be eating a lot of low-protein grass you may want to use a slightly higher protein feed to sort of balance that out. Same type of thing for calcium. It’s often a good idea to offer a calcium supplement like oyster shell even if you feed a Layer with a high amount of calcium. Don’t mix it with the feed, offer it separately so the ones that want to can eat it and the others can ignore it.
A broody hen takes her chicks out to eat grass and forage a day or two after they hatch, but she is there to keep them warm if they need it. One of the first thing she does is take then to bare ground so they can peck at the ground. They are eating grit so they can grind up that grass in their gizzards.
You can take then out to forage as soon as you wish. They can handle cold for longer than many people believe possible but they do have limits. When they get cold they will quit scurrying around, huddle down, and give a heart-rending chirp. It’s time to warm them up. They can be pretty quick so you might want then contained so you can catch them. Putting a wind shield around them so a breeze doesn’t hit them will help them stay warmer too.
After they are fully feathered, usually 4 to 5 weeks, they shouldn’t need any supplemental heat, especially in Florida. I’ve had chicks just over 5 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20’s Fahrenheit with no heat. Some people in colder climates put their chicks out even younger in colder temperatures but I’m pretty cautious.
