can silkies get solely layer pellets?

[ChicksNherps]

I have 2 silkie hens, and I have been told to give them higher protein food so I have been giving them multi flock starter/grower 22% protein. I recently changed food and bought Agway's new hearty hen layer and a bag of H and H soy-free non-GMO starter. I need to board my rooster at a different farm and will have to buy him a seperate bag of feed, so would the silkies do good on just the hearty hen or is it too much calcium? The hearty hen has 18% protein so not bad for a layer, also is soy-free and has flaxseed. Also, is it okay for my rooster to be eating it? He eats the mixture of the hearty hen and the starter.

to add, one hen just started laying, the other is 6 months old and hasn't started yet.

 

[Debs55]

They will be ok on laying feed as long as they are laying or close to laying

 

[ChicksNherps]

They will be ok on laying feed as long as they are laying or close to laying

So should I give my pullet just starter then? Until she lays? or should IO continue to mix it so she gets some calcium? And is it okay for my roo to be eating right now?

 

[Debs55]

You could make it way simpler by just feeding every one flock raiser. It is high protein and is in crumble form ( pretty much the same as grower or starter but not medicated). When I have young chickens who are not laying yet that is what I feed everyone which saves on the feed bill alittle. As for the calcium you can put out oyster shell in a seperate smaller feeder and she will get it if she needs it. And the rooster can eat the layer feed if you decide to go that route. There is some argument about that but mine have always been fine eating laying feed

 

[ChicksNherps]

You could make it way simpler by just feeding every one flock raiser. It is high protein and is in crumble form ( pretty much the same as grower or starter but not medicated). When I have young chickens who are not laying yet that is what I feed everyone which saves on the feed bill alittle. As for the calcium you can put out oyster shell in a seperate smaller feeder and she will get it if she needs it. And the rooster can eat the layer feed if you decide to go that route. There is some argument about that but mine have always been fine eating laying feed

I was feeding multi flock, but I want soy free and can't find any.

 

[Debs55]

Hm in that case I would continue with what you were doing before and then when the other hen starts laying use the laying feed