21 week vs 12 week needs...who to please?

[greenacre]

My 21 week old Australorp has not laid yet but does all the squawking and squatting. I try to give her crushed eggshells in yogurt (every other day) but I am concerned about her nutritional intake since I still have her on chick starter (because of the other 5 girls). How do I keep my 12 week olds on the starter but give my 21 week old the laying feeder I bought weeks ago? My DH suggested I mix some of the Layena in with the starter to at least get Tweety on the right road but I wonder if that is enough and I don't want to hurt my little ones with food that is not appropriate for their age.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Really, I don't have a good reply to your question. Simply wanted to say that we fed our chicks layer feed (crumbles, not pellets) from the start. Didn't mean to, but we inever got to the feed store to get chick feed. It may have affected their health, but not enough to be noticeable. They are integrated with the older flock now and the first layed an egg yesterday.

 

[greenacre]

NewGuineaChooks...how old are your girls now? It is good to know that the laying feed didn't affect them. I do appreciate your input!!! Thanks!

 

[greenacre]

Can anybody from this forum give me some direction? I am new at this and don't have any mentors...please help.

 

[speckledhen]

I'd let your older ones eat the chick starter for awhile longer and just put a free choice feeder of oystershell or limestone calcium for them to eat. The starter wont hurt the older ones as much as layer would hurt the younger ones. I'd at least let the youngsters make it to 16 weeks before letting them get hold of layer feed, but after that, you could mix the two. Anyway, some may disagree, but that's my two cents.

 

[greenacre]

Speckledhen...thank you so much for your response! I will give more eggshells tomorrow to the big girl and then run to the grain elevator to look for some oyster shells on Monday. I truly appreciate your expertise!!!