Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: jo40 on October 01, 2009, 19:04
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Hi
At what age do you switch from chick crumbs to growers pellets.
My chicks are coming up to 6 weeks and going outside at the weekend.
Should I mix crumbs and growers to wean them off crumbs? Or do they need to stay on the crumbs only for a while :unsure:
Thanks Jo
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hi im sure i read some where its six to eight weeks for growers.i have been mixing some with their crumb for the last 2 days to help get them used to it.I might be wrong but i think you can also start giving grit from around that time too :)
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Start them at 5 -6 weeks and gradually wean them over so by 7 - 8 weeks then are on growers. Providing grit ad lib is OK too though if they are outside they will probably find enough. If you are starting to hand feed corn as a treat it might be more important but I don't think it's a bad thing to make them forage for some of the essentials keeps them active and otherwise they may become bored and develop bad habits if you put everything on a plate for them. (Pun intended!)
Good luck
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Thank you
I think they are beginning to get bored now, 4 in a run 5x5ft. I have only given them meal worm as a treat, scattering it amongst the dust/shavings. Deffo going outside tomorrow, I will start to mix crumbs with the growers , see how they go.
thanks again Jo