When can new chicks be with older chicks

[NatJ]

You can feed them all chick starter, or Flock Raiser, or All-Flock, or grower feed, or something like that. Just get one without medication in it. Put out a dish of oyster shell, too.

The only special thing about layer feed is how much calcium it has: just right for laying hens, but too much for chicks. So offering a separate dish of oyster shell lets the hens get their extra calcium, and the young chicks will just ignore it.

Unmedicated chick starter will NOT hurt the hens or their eggs or the people eating the eggs. As long as they have oyster shell too, the hens and their eggs will be perfectly fine. Chick starter usually does cost a little more than layer feed, largely because it's got a bit more protein.

 

[Kchicken1988]

Almost seems easier to keep them separated.
I kinda feel bad for the baby chicks because they have a make shift hen house. It’s a metal dog crate I’ve covered it up so they aren’t chilly but when they get older it’s going to get a little tight for them

 

[Kchicken1988]

You can feed them all chick starter, or Flock Raiser, or All-Flock, or grower feed, or something like that. Just get one without medication in it. Put out a dish of oyster shell, too.

The only special thing about layer feed is how much calcium it has: just right for laying hens, but too much for chicks. So offering a separate dish of oyster shell lets the hens get their extra calcium, and the young chicks will just ignore it.

Unmedicated chick starter will NOT hurt the hens or their eggs or the people eating the eggs. As long as they have oyster shell too, the hens and their eggs will be perfectly fine. Chick starter usually does cost a little more than layer feed, largely because it's got a bit more protein.

This is super helpful! Thank you!
I was just so unsure about what I could feed all of them

 

[cmom]

Grower feed is for the teenagers. The dietary requirements for a chicken between 8 to around 20 weeks old is very different from a baby chick. Essentially grower feed contains a protein content that is generally around 20% but has less calcium than regular layer feed. Grower feed supports the continuing growth of the teenagers without bombarding them with unnecessary vitamins and minerals that are more suited for fully grown laying hens. Once your girls start laying eggs they are ready for layer feed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use hatch-to-hen (just another name for all flock) for dry feed for chicks and adults until chicks are old enough to go on layer. I also feed fermented starter (or grower when they're older) on the side.

You can integrate chicks early but it requires a bit of set up for it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/ By 5 weeks my chicks would've already been spending the entire day in the run with the adults.