What Age Can I Start Feeding Chicks Pellets Rather Than Crumbles?

[FrostRanger]

So I have 7 chicks who are currently on chick starter crumbles. I also have 2 laying hens and since it'll only be a matter of weeks before I start integrating the new chicks and I obviously very well can't let the chicks eat layer pellets I decided to buy a bag of flock maker pellets. My question is when can I start giving the chicks the flock maker pellets as I really don't like crumbles as the birds tend to waste them a lot - although for their part the chicks have been good so far at cleaning their spilled crumbles. The chicks are currently a week old, are all standard sized fowl and I still have plenty of the starter left. I don't mind buying another bag of chick starter if needed, but I would like to minimize the amount of time they're on crumbles

 

[rosemarythyme]

Depends on how large the pellets are, but if they're about medium size then standard sized chicks can handle them just fine around 6 weeks or so.

 

[Yardmom]

I have had chicks as young as 2 weeks eat pellets just fine. I have had mamas give pellets to even younger chicks. Maybe mix a few in and see how they do with pellets when the crumble bag gets low.

 

[EddieSalita]

If they won't eat them, just soak them and make a porridge. Most chooks love a good porridge.

 

[FrostRanger]

An update.
I started mixing in pellets with the crumbles last week and while I can tell they prefer the crumbles, I found their dish almost empty one day and today I caught a few picking pellets out of the crumbles and eating them, so I don't think I'll be buying any more chick crumbles once that runs out since they very obviously can and will eat the flock maker pellets just fine. Thank goodness too, 'cause I really didn't want to feed the crumbles once they're outside full time 'cause while these girls are pretty good about not making too much of a mess, the older girls are a bit messier with their food (seriously, I've found piles of food by the feeder when they were on crumbles, but now that they're on pellets there's no mess). The chicks BTW are now 3 and a half weeks old and I've only needed to buy a single 10lb bag of chick crumbles for them