Are they ready YET?

[CHlCKEN]

I’m super impatient to getting my little girls mixed with my big girls. I’ve been wanting a bigger flock for a while now and I just want it to happen already! The big thing is I’m wanting to do a coop Reno for them but I need to take my separation wall down first. I just need to make sure I’m not rushing anything by getting the littles in with the big hens soon. They’re 10 weeks Saturday and are growing so fast! I only have 3 big girls, Two batted rock and 1 Speckled Sussex, and 4 littles. I’m wondering how Fred will work though, is everyone going to have to be on chick starter/ grower? I need my big girls to get as much calcium as possible since one has already gotten sick from not having enough. What’s a good way to get the big girls calcium while they are eating chick grower?

 

[The Happster]

Get growers feed, and offer oyster shell.
The birds that need it will take it.
The chicks won't take much interest in it.

 

[Willow2253]

In addition to offering grower feed and oyster shell, you could also offer your normal layer feed in a separate feeder. Your littles are old enough to move in with the big chickens. I’ve got my 6 week olds fully integrated already, and we have both layer and grower feed out along with shells.

 

[The Happster]

That kind of defeats the point.
The chicks can and will eat the layers feed, and that is not good for their system.
With growers and oyster shells, they can all eat it, without any issues.

Growers with oyster shell is a much better arrangement than layers, even when you don't have younglings. Non laying hens, cockerels, broodies.....problem solved.

I unfortunately have to use layers, because growers are hard to acquire where I am.

 

[Willow2253]

I have the layer feed in a feeder that’s more difficult for the chicks to reach, and the grower easy access. That, plus the facts that it’s pellets vs crumbles, and they’re free range, makes the chicks uninterested in the layer feed until they’re closer to full sized. It may not work for everyone, but it does for my flock.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Get growers feed, and offer oyster shell.
The birds that need it will take it.
The chicks won't take much interest in it.

Easier said than done my birds won’t touch oyster shell at all. I have to offer calcium in other ways

 

[The Happster]

Easier said than done my birds won’t touch oyster shell at all. I have to offer calcium in other ways

What feed are they on?
What 'other ways' do you use?

 

[CHlCKEN]

I used to use milk a long time ago before I knew it’s not good for them, sometimes I bring out tums, scrambled eggs, egg shells, they need about 5g of calcium each day, especially my chicken who is prone to soft shelled eggs that break. All of my big girls love to get their calcium treats, I just wish they would eat they’re oyster shell and grit! I don’t know what feed I’m on right now since I don’t know what it is off the top of my head, but it includes calcium benefits since it’s a layer feed

 

[The Happster]

If they are on layers feed, they won't be taking much oyster shell.
If they went on to growers, they would begin taking it.
They take it when they need it. If they aren't taking it, they just don't need it.