# When to take chicks off chick starter



## Nelsonboyz (Apr 20, 2015)

I heard 8 weeks and then I hear 16 week so what's right


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are you using medicated feed? If not, you don't have to change them. Just have a separate container of oyster shell for the girls.

If its medicated they probably don't need it after a couple of months. The drug in chick feed blocks vitamin absorption to prevent an explosion of cocci in their GI tract. That can mean the peeps are not getting all of the nutrition they need.

I don't use medicated feed, never have. But I did keep Corrid on hand just in case I saw evidence of cocci. I never did. But it is out there and it can hit peeps hard and fast.


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## Nelsonboyz (Apr 20, 2015)

Thanks they are not on medicated feed so maybe couple weeks for they start to lay change it to layer feed


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You can or leave them on what they're on now and just pick up a bag of oyster shell to put in a separate dish. I've done it that way for years, never used layer.

If you're going to have roosters its better than they don't eat the layer feed because the extra calcium can be hard on their kidneys.


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## Nelsonboyz (Apr 20, 2015)

Sounds good thanks


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## ruddy (Apr 23, 2015)

I'm new to having hens too. I've heard that it's good to have a few roosters in your flock. My make up is 12 hens and 3 rooster. Do you just replace the roosters every year?


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## Nelsonboyz (Apr 20, 2015)

I have 19 hens one rooster


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

3 roosters is an awful lot for 12 hens. If you're feeding roosters layer feed you may have to replace them but otherwise not. If you're seriously breeding, you may not know what you have in a rooster till it's a couple years old.

As for when to take chicks on starter, it depends on the protein percentage of the feed, your management and purposes.
What is the protein % of the feed?


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## Nelsonboyz (Apr 20, 2015)

It's 16% I think so I got it from bomgaars


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Mine have been on 20% all of their lives, three of them are nine and ten years old.


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