OK, I'm trying not to waste any feed that I have, and I'm wondering how I can do this. I have 2 one-year old hens, they are getting layer pellets. I have about 1/3 of a bag they came with and 1 full bag (50lb) unopened. At the rate they are eating it will take quite a bit of time to finish all the pellets I have, does it go bad/stale? I also have 7 week-old chicks on medicated chick crumbles. I'm working on 1 25lb bag now. I am picking up 3 eleven week old pullets this weekend. What do I buy? Should I just get some flock raiser? I've read they should not have layer pellets yet, is that true? It will be easy for the next month or so to keep them all fed separately, our hens are in a tractor, the chicks in the brooder and the pullets will be in quarantine. Once our coop is finished I want to get the pullets (will be 16-18 weeks by then) and hens integrated, and the chicks into the coop (we will separate an area for them). If I have feed left over at that point can I mix it all together with some flock raiser and use it that way? I'll be offering egg shell on the side for the layers. This is our first time with chickens and I am, quite happily, in over my head!
Give everyone Flock Raiser--supplemented with calcium for the ladies who are laying. I have a large, all-ages and multi-species mixed flock and everyone does great on Flock Raiser. It's much more convenient to feed everyone the same thing! I think I'd go crazy if I had to keep track of who eats what, with all the different pens and ages and species I have. Do you have any poultry friends you can give or sell the pelleted Layer feed at a discounted price?
I would not do that I would leave the hens on the layer pellets, give the pullets the starter for now. When you get them all moved together, you can switch the pullets to the layer crumbles (some may be laying already, depending on what breed they are) but keep the chicks on starter if you can for longer.
