Switching from chick starter to all-flock pellets?

[Egghead_Jr]

Question from a newbie... when you say 'medicated' are you referring to feed with probiotics & electrolytes, or something more?

Thanks!

Medicated feed is to prevent cocci from killing the chicks. It shouldn't be fed to layers and no chicken needs it after 8-12 weeks of age if you do use it. Most of us don't have cocci problems so don't even use medicated then all birds can be on same feed.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Question from a newbie... when you say 'medicated' are you referring to feed with probiotics & electrolytes, or something more?

Thanks!

I mean starters with stuff in it to prevent coccidiosis. Chick starters come in both medicated and non medicated. You don't want to be feeding that to older birds or laying hens.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Purina Flock Raiser comes in crumbles & is sold at TSC. maybe you don't have them out there though, but a Purina dealer might hav eit.

 

[KarennFallon]

Thank you oldhenlikesdogs, guess I'll take a little more time to figure out which way to go with the food before blending my older and new flock.

 

[KarennFallon]

Thank you for your help with this feeding thing. The adults are getting Non-GMO pellets for layers, oyster shell and grit separately, scoop of scratch with a handful of dried meal worms once a day. Right now they are separate from the chicks, who only get non-medicated chick starter crumbles. Everybody seems happy and looking good, just don't want to mess it up when I take the separation down. It may stay up longer than planned, altho, isn't it harder to blend the groups the older they get?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yep, chicks are an accepted thing to show up in a flock, wait too long they become too adult, and will be considered intruders instead of just someone's kids. I integrate at about 6-10 weeks, the earlier the better. Mine were pretty much accepted on day one last year, and most years by the first week, with very few pecks. I round mine up for a few weeks at night, and when when I'm m not around to keep an eye on things. I have plenty of escape routes for little ones to squeeze under.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hi All, I have three 6 week old Black Australorps in my first chicken flock. I'm down to about a week's supply of starter food (the very fine sand-like stuff), but the local feed store didn't have a 'grower' that wasn't for meat birds, and I couldn't find any grower on-line that I was certain was for laying birds, so I purchased 50 lbs of all flock pellets instead.

I'm wondering now if this is the right thing for 7-8 week old pullets? The protein is 18%, which sounds right for what I'm reading, but can pullets handle those hard pellets? Should I get another bag of the chick starter, and let them get a little bigger before making the switch? I have 50lbs of the stuff, I'm hoping they can eat it someday!

TIA!

The most important thing is that you don't let your feed get rancid. If it's 6 weeks past mill date, the nutrients are starting to break down, according to a Poultry Nutrition expert in Harvey Ussery's book on small flock management. You might consider fermenting those pellets. Chickens are resistant to change, no matter what that change is. There is an excellent article written by Tikki Jane in my signature line explaining the how and why of fermented feed.

 

[SD Chicken Wrangler15]

It depends if your chicks were vaccinated after hatching. why give medicine if they were already vaccinated at hatching? I buy my day-old chicks from the feed store and they told me to pick up medicated.