Wyandotte Chicks are 7 weeks old!

photo from virginmedia.com

"I can't believe it".  Said in a Victor Meldrew/One Foot in the Grave voice!

7 weeks ago Pinkey and Perky, soon to be Apple and Blackberry (if they are hens) hatched into the big wide world of my back garden.

2 Little Wyandotte Chicks, they could have been any breed at that stage.

Now 7 weeks on they have grown, and developed fantastic markings with unique personalities.



My Wyandotte chicks



I am at the stage now where I try to move them onto growers pellets.  They have been on Chicks crumbs since day one and they are devouring the food every day.  

I'm sure some will already be aware of this, but I will cover it anyway.  Chicks tend to be moved onto growers pellets between 6 to 8 weeks of age.  It gives them more of the nutrients they need to keep growing.  They generally stay on growers pellets until they are between 18 and 22 weeks, i.e. when they start to lay.  They would at this stage move to layers pellets.  If you are keeping birds for meat, your chickens would stay on growers until they are processed.

So I am shortly off to buy growers pellets.  I will then start to gradually mix the pellets into the crumbs so that the chicks get used to them.



the catalogue pose!



I found last time whilst Treacle raised Rodney the rooster, shortly after I introduced growers pellets, Treacle came back into lay.  I recall it took 3 weeks.

So you never know, we may shortly have 2 hens producing eggs.  That would be a great Christmas present.

Both times I have introduced growers food to chicks, I have considered mash as an alternative. 

I regularly think about it, but having done research, I don't see that there is that much benefit.  

I'm shy, honest!



It seems to be more difficult to source, messier and more food wasted.

The only reason I can see people using it is if they have ex-battery hens they have rescued.  They will have been fed mash all their life.  Trying to move them to pellets could be a challenge.

I may be wrong on this point and would be happy to hear if there are benefits to mash.

Pinkey & Perky a few days old!

Thanks for coming back and reading!