about to combine teenagers in with existing laying flock - feed ?

[imthedude]

hi all.

i have 13 teenagers ranging from 3.5 months to 3 months. i am about to put them in with my flock of 10 layers that are all about a year old. the teenagers are still on grower/developer with higher protein, and of course the layers are on lay mash with lower protein and added calcium. there's no way i can stop them from eating each other's food once they're in the same coop, so is it a problem for the young birds to get lay ration for a couple of months before they start laying?

if this is a problem, how do you all address it aside from fencing off separate areas of your coop?

thanks in advance.

 

[flowergirl60]

I'm interested on what everyone else says. I put my 5 month old in with the other layers and they are all on layer feed. She's turning out to be a beautiful bird and looks very healthy.

 

[schellie69]

I went to a flock raiser/gamebird feed it had a higher protein but since they where free ranging it was okay. I offered egg shells on the side it worked for me and I had some nice eggs. Also noticed with their molt this year and the higher protein that they feathered in quicker.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I am watching this thread!

 

[poodlepill]

I just mixed my 11 week old pullet flock with my year old hens, I switched everyone over to grower/game bird for now, I mix one scoop of each in the feeder with a side of oyster shells/ground up egg shells.

 

[speckledhen]

I usually feed Game Bird Flight Conditioner, which is a grower feed, when I incorporate a few teens with laying hens. Has 19% protein. Naturally, you'd have to offer oyster shell on the side for the laying hens.

 

[briteday]

like to mix gamebird starter (30% protein) 2 parts to one part of scratch (8-9% protein) = about 22% protein. It's plenty enough for the growing girls and helps with molting in the older girls. And my older girls usually start their molt just before the pullets start laying. Once I see the first egg from the pullets everyone goes to layer feed.