3 Weeks old today

[frias]

The Welsummers chicks are 3 weeks old today and Spotty is a wonderful mum. I have learnt all sorts of new chook language and recognise all sorts of clucks and noises she speaks to her babies.
I now need to know how soon I can move the chicks on to growers pellets. They seem happy on chick crumbs and Spotty eats these too. I do put some pellets for her but she seems to want the chicks to eat everything before she has some. I hung a cabbage up for her today and she took little pieces off and gave them to her babies. It didn't take them long to find out if they got on top of the cat carrier in their run they could get it for themselves.

[MaureenHall]

Oh that is so sweet I think I'd leave the chicks on crumb for another 2 or 3 weeks before putting them onto growers, but I'm sure you're doing the right thing introducing new foods to them (via mum!). I seem to remember my chicks at 5 weeks old playing football with a strawberry and a cherry tomato

[bluemoon]

Awwww, bless. As for the feed, I'm sure mum knows best, if she's offering it to them or allowing them to eat it I'd have thought it would be fine.

[RichmondHens]

You can start mixing some grower pellets into the chick crumb from 4 weeks, changing over gradually so by the time they are 6/7 weeks they can be totally on grower pellets. They will happily eat chick crumb whatever age though so if you are not planning on hatching any more, then keep feeding it to them until it's used up.

[frias]

Thanks for replies. I will probably have to buy some more chick crumbs as now running short. I have been given a large sack of growers but it has medication in it so can't put chicks in with big girls yet as I don't want them to eat it. I was hoping to have them all in together by 6 weeks old though as it's quite a performance getting Spotty and her chicks from the broody pen inside the big pen and out into their pen on the lawn. Also broody pen and nest box is fast becoming too small. When they do all mix together is it alright for chicks to have layers? (I don't think 3 of them will ever actually lay though as it looks as if crowing is more likely!)
As to hatching more RH, I always said I wouldn't hatch any 'cos I might get cockerels. Should have stuck to my original plan as it's going to be very hard when the time comes.