Chick crumbles not ok for adult chickens?

[Cindy in PA]

I agree that it may be easiest to feed all flock or chick starter. 30+ years ago no one was so into the feed stuff & most people I know fed layer feed year-round. There was no internet where every subject was beat to death. I normally cycle out my hens every 2-3 years but early on the kids had some pets. 2 of them lived 9 years on layer feed year-round. My roosters ate it also. Presently I have a rooster & for his 3 years of life he has been on layer or all flock depending on what I get. Right now I am feeding Kalmbach All Flock because I have 8-week-olds in with the rooster & 6 two-year-old hens. For people who only have actively laying hens. Kalmbach makes a 20% laying feed & Purina makes a 19% feed. Not all layer feeds are only 16%. Feather Fixer is not a low calcium food. It is lower at 3.25%.

 

[Lizzyduff]

Exactly! Molts this year lasted days, not weeks, except in the case of one older hen who had a very hard molt, but even she was done in a couple of weeks.

Wow! This is so good to hear. My Trouble (2 year old) had a very hard moult last year and then yesterday she shook her feathers... and her tail fell off. Based on all of y'all stories here I've switched all my hens to starter grower with oyster shell on the side. It's so much easier than trying to keep them from eating the chick's food! And I've got my fingers crossed that her moult will go quickly and smoothly this year especially since we're moving across the country in a week! Thanks again for sharing your stories.