Can 13 and 14 week old chickens eat layer feed? 1 is also a rooster. I’m moving them in with the older hens tonight and am wondering?
I'm wondering that myself someone else will know more than I do from what I've read chicks should be on starter feed till roughly 16 weeks my first 5 girls I switched at 16 weeks I could be wrong
Every brand of feed has different recommendations about when to transition from starter to grower to layer. The primary difference in feeds is the amount of protein. Personally to make my life easier while mixing flocks, I switched my layers to grower rations with oyster shell on the side and the babies are also eating the grower. In the short term, no it will not hurt the babies to eat the layer feed (think about a broody raising babies - they eat what mama eats). In the longer term, they may lack the extra 2% of protein they need to grow extra big. Some people recommend always feeding an all-flock or grower ration, especially if you have a flock with a mix of ages plus a rooster.
Personally, I would not feed layer feed to pullets until they are laying eggs. Layer feed has too much calcium for youngsters and is generally lower in protein than chick starter or all flock/flock raiser. I feed an All Flock/Flock Raiser feed year round so I don't have to worry about different feeds or who gets what. Provide oyster shell free choice for the laying hens. I also don't like feeding my rooster layer feed since he doesn't need all that extra calcium either.