Can I start them on layer feed?

[ChirpyChicks1]

DavidKerk, My pullets are just a few days shy of 17wks and they are still on starter/grower. If you don't want to get another bag of starter then I'd go with flock raiser but certainly not layer, not yet.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

never waited that long, all my adults get layer feed , and they get watermellon, lettuce, apples, cooked rice, etc etc.. every day. and i have never kept a chicken on starter until they started laying, i have never had a chicken get sick nor have i ever had one die.

this would require seperating them until they start laying , so for my breeds 5-6 months old chickens still on starter? thats rediculous

"Layer feed should never be fed to chickens younger than 18 weeks as it contains calcium that can permanently damage the kidneys, cause kidney stones, reduce lifetime egg production and shorten a bird's lifespan."

I'd recommend reading this article and doing some research on BYC. Figuring out which food should be given to chickens is a very common topic.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/feeding-chickens-at-different-ages.html

 

[DavidKerk]

So how bad will it be for them to be on layer feed right now? The only person to come and feed them is my brother ( unreliable at best, and he would only be able to come once during the week.) They will be without feed and water quite a bit if they aren't with the others. What to do?????

Would it help if I bought scratch and mixed it 3 parts layer feed to 1 part scratch?

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

It's 110% up to you. How long before you leave? Obviously you don't want to throw them in with the big hens the same day you're leaving, never can tell how they will all handle each other. I would never give a chicken younger than 18wks layer feed but also, just because it's been done in the past does not mean that it can't actually cause problems for other chicks or even cause problems for the chickens when they are older (shorter life span)

Where are these younger chicks held? If they are in a coop or at least a big brooder then I'd buy them bigger containers. How will the big hens be getting their food/water?

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

This is why feed companies produce feeds that the entire flock can eat. Just lock down the Layer in a good sealed tub and break it out a month from now. Meanwhile, pick up some good All Flock or Flock Raiser, or a Grower that is 16-18% protein and have the brother feed them all. Done. There is no magic in Layer feed, only the marketing of convenience, that's all.

There are lots and lots of folks who never feed Layer. As long as the hens have a bowl of calcium supplement to pick at as their bodies demand it, all is well. Young birds don't normally fuss with the calcium.

Great advice!

 

[DavidKerk]

Great advice!

I agree! I think that's what I'll do! Thanks so much Fred!

 

[Shades of Blue]

since i have a rooster in with my hens I myself feed a 17% flock grower and free choice oyster shell. Then I don't have to buy all different bags of feed. Roosters and young birds should not have to much calcium so this is a win win situation. Then when I move young pullets into the pen everything is good until they start to lay.

I do agree that you should move your young birds in right away so they are settled before you leave. that's my two cents worth......lol.

 

[debid]

I feed grower to my whole flock right now because I added juveniles to laying hens last month. I switched the adults to grower when their feed ran out a couple weeks prior to the merge and they LOVE the grower feed. A cup of oyster shell hangs in the run and I don't see any of the non-layers touching it. Not a big deal. The merge, OTOH... It took a couple weeks for everyone to settle in and that was with the groups being housed side-by-side for months and ranging together. So, I would also suggest sooner than later so they get through the ugliness.

 

[AbbyTravers]

I don't believe that the feed will hurt them. But how old our your chicks and how big? Because that may matter if they don't get along with the big hens or roosters.

 

[DaveMorey]

The bigger concern is adding the juveniles to your coop I would think. I know when I did it It took me two weeks of housing them side by side in the coop with a fence separating them. Even when I took the fence down after two weeks I had some second thoughts. I ended up putting food and water both in the coop and outside so there was access either way if some were getting bullied. I also introduced some scratch feed at this point to as a distraction. This seemed to help in the short term at least.