5 week old chicks getting into older girls feed

[loupan]

My 5 week old chicks have spent there 2nd night out with the big girls everything is going great they sleep in the same bedroom and everything they are even starting to get more daring and exploring more of the coop

which is awesome but they have now found the girls food which is layers mash will it harm them if they have a wee bit they not to overly fussed but still have a wee peck at it they are doing so well i would hate for something to go wrong now thanks for any input

 

[Patricia Jane]

I have read somewhere on here that you can give them all flock raiser. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in with a more confident answer.

 

[loupan]

Thankyou i think they should be ok but i just need piece of mind realy

 

[BlazeJester]

If they're eating the same food, they should be fed flock raiser with supplemental calcium for the layers. Excess calcium can form deposits in the body, particularly the joints and kidneys, and cause damage. It of course takes a lot of calcium for this to happen, but this is how many people feed full-time when they have hens raising chicks, etc.

 

[teach1rusl]

I will 2nd (or 3rd) the Flock Raiser. Those chicks will begin doing a lot more than just sampling the layer feed. Flock Raiser has higher protein too, so it'll be good for you big girls during these winter months (just offer oyster shell on the side).

 

[gritsar]

Yep, do yourself a favor especially if you plan on having more chicks raised in the flock in the future; feed everyone a flockraiser type feed. No more worrying about chicks or roosters eating layer that's not good for them. All that's needed as a supplement is some oyster shell on the side for the laying hens.

 

[loupan]

Thanks guys i do give them oyster shell also they have that in a seperate tub and they have wheat as an ocasional treat my laundry room looks like a feed store at the mo

so should i just finish off this bag of chick starter crumble and the girls with there layer mash and then just put them all on the other you all mentioned also can i just get that from the feed store do you think not realy heard of it here in nz to be honest

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Purina makes a feed called Flockraiser. The brand of flockraiser type feed I use is a local brand called Allway Kernels. Just ask the person at the feedstore if they have a type of chicken feed suitable for all ages.

Here's the analysis of the Allway Kernels, so you can get an idea of what to look for in a all around poultry feed:

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein, min......................................................................20.00%
Lysine, min..................................................................................1.00%
Methionine, min...........................................................................0.40%
Crude Fat, min..............................................................................2.50%
Crude Fiber, max..........................................................................6.00%
Calcium (Ca), min........................................................................1.00%
Calcium (Ca), max........................................................................1.50%
Phosphorus (P), min.....................................................................0.50%
Salt (NaCl), min............................................................................0.25%
Salt (NaCl), max...........................................................................0.75%