when can chicks...

[jewelzbird]

I have 5 week old chicks. They have only been eating starter and occasionally worms. When should I start giving food scraps and such? Would they need grit too? My 2 hens get greens, veggies, scraps and chicken scratch daily in addition to their pellets. I adopted them so I have no idea when that all started. Also kinda thinking of getting them out of the house next week. Should be warm enough. I'm kinda over the indoor brooder box thing. I plan on keeping them separated for a week or so from the big girls. I can't imagine my sweet hens hurting them, but I guess they don't call it a pecking order for nothing! Any holes in this plan?

 

[SIMZ]

You can give them treats! You'll want to make grit available once you start the treats. Just ease them into treats and don't give them a lot because they need to get most of their nutrition from the starter.

5 weeks is pretty small still to go in with big hens...and yet pretty big to be inside, right?

I would keep them visible to the hens, but separated for a few more weeks yet.