When to switch feed? by age or by growth?

[wannabe_goatmom]

I have 6 chicks that will be 7 weeks old on Monday. One of them is only about half the size of the others and she isn't getting her feathers in as fast. The other 5 are fully feathered but she only has feathers on her wings and head and she still has fuzz on her back and belly.
What I am wondering is when to switch their feed. The starter feed I am feeding says to switch at 8 weeks. Should I go ahead and switch all of them or should I keep her on the starter until she gets more feathers in? Is there something I can give her to make the feathers come in faster?
Thanks!
Billie Jo

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I would change them all at the same time.

 

[wannabe_goatmom]

Thanks! That's what I was thinking because I didn't want to have to seperate her.
What sucks is that I need to buy a new bag of starter tomorrow and they will only be able to eat it for a week. LOL that's the way things always go!

 

[jhm47]

It won't make much difference if you switch them all to grower or keep them all on starter. In fact, you could keep them on starter till they begin to lay with no ill effects. Chickens are very forgiving. They can live very well on strange diets.

 

[JanieMarie]

Go ahead and switch. Especially if you're out of starter. Different chicks even within the same breed just can develop at a different rate.

 

[wannabe_goatmom]

Switching them over a week early won't hurt anything? I don't want to make them sick or anything over a $5 bag of feed.

 

[JanieMarie]

Nope they won't skip a beat. Or keep em on starter for awhile to help the smallest one if you want. Or give some cooked up eggs & yogurt for treat and extra protein. I've got some 7 wk olds I switched over a week ago and they're just fine.

 

[wannabe_goatmom]

Thanks everyone for the advice.