Can I use up my grower feed or do I need to switch?

[Cryss]

My girls are finally beginning to lay a bit now that the light is creeping the other direction (no supplemental light). With a tiny (micro) flock I don't go through feed very quickly and I have most of a bag of grower feed left. Do I absolutely need to go get some layer feed or can I finish up the grower with the addition of oyster shell on offer?

Could I mix the two?

I just don't think you ever have to switch to layer feed. Stay with grower and switch to all flock or flock raiser when you run out. Oyster shell on the side.

You never need to give layer feed as long as you supplement with a constant supply of oyster shell. This is actually better for backyard raisers than using layer feed. Large production farms use layer because they only use hens that are laying. They do not have young non laying pullets, chicks, or any males included in those flocks. Calcium is not good for their systems. Feeding a mixed age and/or gender flock grower feed with a full side dish of oyster shell on the side allows layers to eat shell at will while the others won’t crave it so they won’t bother with it other than a curious peck here or there.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm not seeing a product here in Alberta that is labelled all flock or flock raiser.

Grower is perfectly fine in lieu of all flock (which can be labeled with all sorts of names... the one I get is labeled hatch-to-hen).

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I use Grower feed with oyster/egg shell on the side.