Chick Starter vs Grower Crumbles

I was just wondering how many ppl. kept the little ones on starter/grower until they started to lay. my book tells me to and i have always done it, but I was wondering....growing up my Grandmother never kept them isolated past the time hen weaned them and they were all free range and ate what ever they could find in additon to the corn she fed them each morning and evening..and they laid fine...we sold eggs like crazy.
 
D'Angelo N Va. :

I was just wondering how many ppl. kept the little ones on starter/grower until they started to lay. my book tells me to and i have always done it, but I was wondering....growing up my Grandmother never kept them isolated past the time hen weaned them and they were all free range and ate what ever they could find in additon to the corn she fed them each morning and evening..and they laid fine...we sold eggs like crazy.

My relatives laugh at me because I buy starter/grower (1st phase) and grower/finisher (2nd phase) and layer crumble (3rd phase). They always tell me that these 3 feeds were not available many years back in the old days when our grandparents just threw out corn and table scraps and the babies just ate what they could and they still laid eggs with no problem.
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Exactly, so I really wonder is there that much of a difference or did we just not notice how many eggs were laid then...hmmmmm
 
I have two flocks that free range together - one group is from last spring and the new ones are 12/13 weeks. They have gotten used to each other and the "little" ones are going in to the larger coop at night now. The problem I'm having is that the big girls love the medicated starter/grower and the little ones are constantly trying to get at the layer feed! How critical is it to keep each out of the other - it's getting to be a constant battle and I'm considering just trying to find something "in the middle" and quit trying to separate for now...any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
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I use Purina starter/grower until 12 weeks, don't remember protien content but I think it is like 18%. Then switch to flock raiser, 20% protien. They stay on flock raiser until 16 weeks. Then 50/50 mix of flock raiser, layena (pellets, 16% protien), supplemented with oyster shell.
 
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That's pretty much what I do as well Chris. The birds grow well on the higher prorein feed & their feather quality is much better than when I followed a more conventional feeding program. The added bonus is there's no wondering which group of birds gets which feed-there's only one feed. Makes it really easy for my wife if I'm away& she has to feed for me.
 

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