Which food at different ages?

[wesley m]

My chicks are about 5-6 weeks old ( most of their adult feathers have grown in). I am still feeding the medicated chick starter from IFA. How long should I keep them on the medicated stuff? Will the medicated feed make eggs dangerous to eat? I am already letting them run around in the run (27 ft long by 11 ft wide) so they have access to dirt and bugs and stuff. I have tried giving them scraps like lettuce and cooked white rice and corn but they want nothing to do with it, they will only eat their chick started mash.

 

[Den in Penn]

The medicated feed is feed to allow them time to build up resistance to the microbes that cause coccidous. After a few weeks they should have built their immune systems to resist the bugs in your environment. So you can switch over to a non medicated feed now. Like Kids Chicks can take a while to warm up to food other then the one they were started on. Just put a little out once and a while till they try it. I would not worry it they don't eat other things then starter or a grower, if they are eating that they are getting a balanced diet while they are growing.

 

[realsis]

Hi I use medicated feed until about 21/2 months old then I switch to a grower then at about 5or 6 months or just before laying I start them on the layer feed.it can be started just after laying as well. Each feed is formulated for the specific stage they are in life. You will usually notice the protien content will change and with layer extra calcium is added for the eggs.a example is with my food I feed a USDA certified all organic feed from countryside organics and the grower is 19 % protein yet the layer is 17%. So usually each feed is formulated for the stage they are in their life. I hope this helps. But little ones can't eat layer because the excess calcium can be hard on their organs. So it's best to stick to a feed that's specific to their age. By the time they are old enough to lay they will have been long off their medicated feed and their eggs will not be effected at all. By that age they will be on a layer feed so their is nothing to worry about there. I really hope this helps and wish you the best for you and your flock!