can 3 month old pullets eat same feed as laying hens?

[Tamidon]

I'm adding new hens to my coop. Before this I had a friend who had a spare coop for raising the pullets seperate from the laying hens that we both could use, but she moved. I've never added hens that were this young. I really cant figure out how to feed them different feed, so will layer feed hurt them?

 

[angie3881]

I have 3 that are a little over a month and they are eating layer. I mixed some medicated chick starter in. I have no way to separate my flick so they get what they get.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I have read that the calcium in the layer feed is not great for their development. A lot of people on the forum recommend feeding 15% protein grower formula with separate bowl of free choice oyster shell out for the layers. Some how the ones who need calcium are the only ones who eat the oyster shell.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
Yes you can keep them all on regular feed or medicated chick feed which will not hurt them and if they get to squatting and giving you signs of laying like very red comb or red face or not coming out but staying in the nest or making sounds you never heard her make then it may be time to start adding a ground up bowl of oyster shells.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Feed them all the same thing, anything but layer. Layer is no different, really, than starter/grower/raiser, except it has a whole bunch of added calcium carbonate, which no chick needs until they actually laying.

Offer the laying hens shells on the side. Simple.