Can't keep my 15 wk old pullets from eating the layer feed, help

[urbanutah]

I've read a ton of information that says, "do not feed layer feed to pullets under 18 weeks." And I understand why after everything I've read, but this is nearly impossible to accomplish with a mixed flock. I initially fed everyone the grower feed, but even with available oyster shell in multiple areas, my adult hens' egg shells became quite thin and caused laying issues. I put the layer feed back in two feeders and had two feeders with the grower crumbles and the adults ate the crumble and the pullets ate the layer feed, ugh! How in the world can I make free-range pullets and hens eat the foods they're supposed to eat and keep everyone healthy? I am a small urban backyard chicken keeper and only have 6 chickens, 3 are adults and 3 are now 18 weeks old, they all free-range during the day. I limited the flock to grower crumble until 4 weeks ago, but had to put the layer pellets back out for them because of poor egg shell quality. Apparently, my adult hens are not eating enough of the oyster shell and who knows if the pullets are eating the oyster shell while I'm gone during the day? I can't be the only one having this issue and don't want to harm my pullets, but there has to be a better solution to this problem.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

OH MY!! Finally! Someone that seems concerned about the same problem as me! lol! SOOO, my chickens are free ranged as well, and what I found to work for me, is to make the younger chicks a small "chicken tractor" that will serve for many purposes. First of all, it gets the older birds and the younger birds a chance to get acquainted, AND it helps to keep the feed separate also! You can move them around daily, making sure they are getting the same bugs and goodies that the other ladies are getting, but they are safe from predators as well.

It can look as simple as something like this: ( of course you'd want to staple a tarp on one side to insure bird safety!!)

Or something more complex... like this:

Hopefully some of this info helped!! Good luck!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Do you have maybe an hour of spare time a day? At seven in the morning and at seven in the evening, I lock my laying flock in to eat, while I feed everything (ducklings, pullets, broodies) else outside, half an hour each feeding. That way, I know everyone's getting their proper nutrition.

At fifteen weeks and free-ranging, I keep mine to two feedings a day—once they get used to the schedule, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Thats a good idea, although when they are free ranging it's hard to separate the two flocks out catch them all!

 

[Folly's place]

I feed Flock Raiser, with oyster shell in a separate container for the laying hens, and it works fine.
Is your oyster shell container obvious and accessible? I had one hen who just didn't get to it, and had thin shelled eggs (or she was going to have them anyway!). You could have two dishes of oyster shell out there, if one bird is keeping the others away from it.
It's just so much easier to feed one feed!
Do you always check the mill date on each bag, and buy within one month of milling, and feed within a couple of weeks? Is your feed a crumble or pellet, or is/ was it a grain mix?
Six chickens won't eat a big bag of feed fast enough, so get the smaller bags, so it's fresh.
Right now I have about ninety chickens, including many babies, so I can get two or three fifty pound bags of feed, if the dating is good. You can't.
Critters (and children!) will always choose the wrong thing to eat, and everyone wants 'the other stuff' because it must be better. The right feed choice will work for everyone!
Mary

 

[urbanutah]

OH MY!! Finally! Someone that seems concerned about the same problem as me! lol! SOOO, my chickens are free ranged as well, and what I found to work for me, is to make the younger chicks a small "chicken tractor" that will serve for many purposes. First of all, it gets the older birds and the younger birds a chance to get acquainted, AND it helps to keep the feed separate also! You can move them around daily, making sure they are getting the same bugs and goodies that the other ladies are getting, but they are safe from predators as well.

It can look as simple as something like this: ( of course you'd want to staple a tarp on one side to insure bird safety!!)

Or something more complex... like this:

Hopefully some of this info helped!! Good luck!

Thank you! They are all integrated and due to the heat of the sun and movement of shade during the day I can't really put them in a tractor. They do eat grass and bugs around the yard, but they also eat the layer feed and the crumble so I'm hoping maybe they aren't getting enough of the layer feed to cause any harm.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Thank you! They are all integrated and due to the heat of the sun and movement of shade during the day I can't really put them in a tractor. They do eat grass and bugs around the yard, but they also eat the layer feed and the crumble so I'm hoping maybe they aren't getting enough of the layer feed to cause any harm.

Thats stinks! You say they're just now 18 weeks? I think it should be fine to go ahead and feed them layer ration... especially since they are getting so much other food in other forms (bugs, grass, clover) that it doesn't really matter!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thats a good idea, although when they are free ranging it's hard to separate the two flocks out catch them all!

It's easier than you might think—my laying hens range everywhere, and everything else crowds beside the feed-shed door when they hear me open it. I carry out a pan of feed to the coop, the rooster sees me and calls his ladies from near and far. Then I close the coop door and head back to the feed shed where everything else is waiting impatiently, because they know that that's where their feed pans are (and also that my three boss hens will peck the heck out of them if they try to invade their coop, but I digress.)

 

[BirdGirl2004]

It's easier than you might think—my laying hens range everywhere, and everything else crowds beside the feed-shed door when they hear me open it. I carry out a pan of feed to the coop, the rooster sees me and calls his ladies from near and far. Then I close the coop door and head back to the feed shed where everything else is waiting impatiently, because they know that that's where their feed pans are (and also that my three boss hens will peck the heck out of them if they try to invade their coop, but I digress.)

lol, mine crowd around me too... I think all chickens ever do. Great post lol.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I've read a ton of information that says, "do not feed layer feed to pullets under 18 weeks."...

A wise man once said, "Don't believe anything that you hear [or read] and only believe 1/2 of what you see" This is the perfect example of this good advice.