Different ages together with different feed?

[CountryHeart06]

So I'm wondering with having different ages of chickens together and different kinds of feed available for all will they eat the wrong thing or will they know which is for them? Sorry if this is a dumb question. TIA!

 

[jaredthefox]

If for some reason you want specific birds to get a specific type of feed than you need to keep them seperated. Like if you had some for meat and others for egg production. I don't care that much though. I put my 5 week old chicks in with my laying hens and feed them all a mixture of laying pellets, laying crumbles and scratch grains. They all do just fine.

 

[CountryHeart06]

Thanks! I decided to hold off on getting the 1-2 week olds. Just don't want any problems. I'm a little too new to this to be trying that just yet. I just have to get the cute fluffies next year and stick with the older group that will be laying sooner anyways. I am going to get meat chicks later so maybe I get some laying chicks then too. Do you happen to know when "the season" for meat chicks is? Thanks!

 

[jaredthefox]

It depends on what kind of housing you have. Meat birds do best with 25% free range 75% confined. Meat chickens produce best in steady 60-80 deg weather. For me that's spring. To hot is tough on them and to cold they don't produce the same amount of meat to feed ratio.

 

[CountryHeart06]

Thanks! Maybe I will get some in a couple weeks then. Handle all my egg layers and then bring in the meat chicks. I'm in VA so Spring SHOULD be right around the corner but the way February has been who knows anymore!!