When to switch to adult food?

[JenNY99]

I have 6 Buff Orpingtons (7 + weeks) and 5 Brahmas (4 weeks tomorrow). I have enough medicated chick starter left for probably 5 days. I assume I can switch the Orpingtons to adult food, but how about the Brahmas? Do they need to stay on chick starter? Should it still be medicated?

Also, what are your thoughts about when they can be housed together? All are currently in our basement until we finish the coop. The Orpingtons are in a large (6'x5') area and we have been putting the Brahmas in (supervised) and the older chicks go after them and peck at them. Not too vicious, but aggressive enough that we have not dared house them together without supervision.

Thanks all!

 

[chicmom]

Hello!

With the food, you can switch to the unmedicated chick grower feed (it may say starter/grower) until they are 17 week old, then you switch to the layer feed. They need that chick food until they're done growing. The layer feed will have too much calcium for them....can harm their development.

Now, if you possibly can, put them BOTH into the new coop at the same time. If the two breeds are very close in size, just put them in all at once, but if the older ones are alot bigger than the youngest ones, then put some type of divider in the coop.

Their transition will be easiest if they can go into the new place at the same time, otherwise, whoever get to go in first will feel that they are the boss, and the newbies are the intruders.....If they all go in at once, they're all newbies, and that makes a difference.

Good luck with the integration!

Sharon

 

[Fred's Hens]

I feed the medicated starter for 8 weeks plus and this is why. I want the blocker for cocci in their systems from age 6-8 weeks because that is the time when they come out of the brooder and get exposed to the barn and the ground. Even if they stayed on the feed through week 10, it would cause no harm. I am perhaps over cautious, but at 6 weeks, I have so much investment in them and I refuse to start over, at that point, due to chick loss.

Knock on wood. Zero chick losses in over three years and almost 60 chicks brooded. I use a grow out pen. At six weeks, they are out gunned by larger birds anyhow.

 

[Steergirl]

Since all feeds are different I would read the back of your feed or the tag to find out the best route for your specific food.

 

[speckledhen]

Starter/grower combination feed is made to continue till they are of laying age, in the absence of grower feed, which some folks cannot get. At 7 weeks, they're WAY too young for adult food with all the calcium for laying hens. Doesn't matter if it's medicated or not, really. The usual here is to keep them on starter/grower till they go into the coop with adults after 12 weeks of age. If they stay separate, they stay on starter till they are 18 weeks or older. Since medicated is the only type we have around here, that is what they eat till they are almost grown.

 

[Reyvaughn]

What about Grower/Finisher? On the bag it says to switch at 10wks. Can you switch early (8wks +/-)? Or should we just keep feeding the Starter/Grower?

 

[Steergirl]

Quote:
I think if you waited til 9 wks that would be better, the closer you follow the directions on the bag the better.

 

[classicsredone]

Our organic starter/grower feed is up to 16 weeks, and then they recommend switching. Each is different, though.

 

[JenNY99]

Thanks everyone! I checked the bag and this food is made for 18 weeks. So I can get another bag as they all have a lot more time to be on this food. I take it there is no HARM in giving medicated food way past 8 weeks?

Thanks for the advice about putting everyone in the coop at the same time, chicmom. I was definitely hoping to transition the BOs first and then move in the Brahmas, but I suppose we can keep the BOs in the basement for another 3-4 weeks until the little ones are feathered in. In fact, at the rate that the *^#$@()% weather is behaving here, it might be that long before we can get outside to finish the coop!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
No harm at all to give that till they are about to lay. No harm at all. Have done it for over five years that we've had chickens.