When is it safe for chicks to be off medicated chick starter?

[goldeneggtees]

I have a question about feed and my chicks going out into an old chicken run. My 8 b/o chicks are about 5-6 weeks old now. I kept thinking they were older, but just checked my receipt from Agway and now realize were probably born on April 1st. Anyway, they've been on medicated chick starter until today but have been going outside and into an old chicken run that's been here since who knows when. I let them out for 1/2-1 hr. There haven't been any chickens in the run in at least 6 years, maybe more. My question is, is it safe for them to be out in the dirt eating bugs and whatever else they like to eat now that they are off the medicated chick starter?

 

[gel2727]

Yes, they can go out in the run. You should be switching them from chick starter to chick grower soon. They shouldn't need the medicated feed anymore. Just be sure to keep an eye on them when they are out in the run. Because it's been so long since there have been chickens in there, there might be some holes in it now for something to sneak in. But it's great for them to be able to go out and eat bugs.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Hey howlinggood,

First off it's nice to see a fellow Long Islander

Welcome. What part of LI are you from? I normally gradually switch my medicated chick starter to grower at about 7-8 weeks old. You might have taken them off it a bit soon but they should be ok. It is perfectly fine for them to be out in the dirt eating bugs and all that. Just make sure they have enough small pebbles in the soil for them also. If not you would need to provide them with grit so they can break down what they eat.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

8 weeks of age or later.

 

[goldeneggtees]

Quote:
We are in Greenlawn, I see you are in the Hamptons!

Thanks for the advice. When you say gradually, do you mean you mix the feed in slowly with what you will be feeding them like you would a dog to get them used to the new food without getting sick? If so, I didn't do that. I just let the medicated chick feed run out and started giving them the organic regular chicken feed. I think I need to go out and get "chick grower" from Agway and give them that for awhile. I will also get the grit. Do you mix it in with their feed so they don't eat too much of it?

 

[france]

I do not mean to hijack the thread but this is a very similar question. My feed store has medicated chick starter from the local big company that had a reputation for poor feed. Actually its not just a reputation, its a fact, I would never feed it to any of my animals. The small local company that makes great feed only has chicken starter that is non medicated. The feed store owners whom I trust said with their chicks they use up one bag of medicated started from the not so good company and then switch to the better quality non medicated starter. I have a 25 pound bag of the medicated and 16 chicks (half bantams). If I were to estimate, the feed will last a good 4 more weeks.

So is 4 weeks of medicated OK to then switch to non medicated?

At what age do I switch up to grower?