Advice on hens maturing at different times. How to adjust feed

[kiya4jah]

I have several breeds of hens and all will start laying in the next month or so. I have some leghorns and a black star that will lay sooner than the others and need to know if I should slowly mix laying crumbles with their current food or should I try to seperate the ladies and give them diffent food? Is it possible to just suppliment with oyster shell to start with?
Any suggestions will help. Thanks

 

[arlee453]

I suppose in an ideal world you could make it so every single chicken would get just the feed it needs...

Personally, I will integrate the chickens from the grow out pen in with the other chickens when I need to - which is usually about 4-8 weeks before they hit laying age. At that point they get laying pellets, which is what I feed in the main pen, and I've not had any problems at all.

I feed 16% layer pellets with oyster shell available at all times. I bought 50# of oyster shell back at the first of the year, and I can't see where they have made a dent in it all all...

 

[JaciesCoop]

I had the same problem. I have year olds and 4 mos olds and one 2 year old roo.

I questioned and questioned and got so many answers I was more confused that when I started.

Now I have flock starter and laying feed and oyster shell all out with all of them for about 2 months now and they seem to be doing fine. Everyone seems happy and healthy.

Hope this helps.

Jacie

 

[kiya4jah]

That's what I was thinking as well. They are all so close in age that I think mixing the laying ration with the growing rashions. They are all super healthy so they should be just fine.

 

[MissPrissy]

Put out a pan of laying feed and a pan grower ration and a dish of oyster shell.

They will all eat a bit of both feeds. Some will choose more of one over the other. The hens that need shell will eat it.

It'll be fine.

 

[ginasmarans]

I have 4 1/2 month olds in with my big chickens now. They've been with them for about 3 weeks. I mix the feed where it is 2 parts layer and 1 part grower. Everyone is doing fine. I've even noticed a few pullet eggs and caught one young girl in the nest. Before I put them with the older chickens, I introduced and gradually increaed the amount of layer pellets in their feed over about a 2 week period.