Different groups, different feeds what to do?

[Cats Critters]

I have my 18 adults (16 hens 2 roos) on layer feed, and just seperated (for the moment) I have 13 7wk olds on chick feed and they are hopefully going to be mixing in the next few weeks.Also at ten weeks the chicks are suppose to switch to grower, and to add to the confusion when I get back from back from vacation at the end of July I will be giving my 2 broody hens eggs to hatch.
So what should I be feed when I mix the groups, I'm thinking the 7wk olds feed and give the hens oyster shells on the side, but what about the broodys and their babies when they are added to the mix?

 

[Judy]

Broodies and their chicks can all eat starter.

Are you saying you have broodies and you plan to let them set on the nest until mid August? That would definitely not be a good idea. They eat and drink very little and lose weight during a normal period of brooding, 3 weeks. Sometimes they actually starve themselves to death.

 

[Cats Critters]

Are you saying you have broodies and you plan to let them set on the nest until mid August? That would definitely not be a good idea. They eat and drink very little and lose weight during a normal period of brooding, 3 weeks. Sometimes they actually starve themselves to death.

Yes, they refuse to stop and I kick them off the nest two or more times a day to make shore they eat and drink.​

 

[Judy]

You need to put them in a wire cage with food and water but no bedding for 2 or 3 days, and set the cage up on blocks or something so there is air circulating underneath, to break the broodiness. That or go ahead and give them eggs to hatch now, or even baby chicks snuck under them at night, if they have been broody for more than 2 weeks. It is very rough on them to stay broody for weeks on end, even if you can get them to eat twice a day; chickens need to eat all day long.

 

[Cats Critters]

Talked to my mom and she gave into setting them now, I just need to finish my little pen and put together two nests and I can give them some eggs!

 

[Akane]

Feed them all nonmedicated chick starter or a gamebird feed that doesn't go over 24% protein. Then provide oyster shell free choice for the layers. Slightly higher protein will not harm the layers you just have to make sure you give them a calcium source since starter feeds don't have enough calcium. It's also best not to feed medicated chick starter for too long. Try to find nonmedicated. If neither of those options are available there is also flock raiser designed specifically to be fed to a wide mix of ages. The reason I use gamebird feed instead (you can't get nonmedicated starter here) with a calcium supplement is that the flock raiser is just in the middle for everything. It's not balanced for any one age group so all age groups will be a little shorted or get a little extra. You still end up supplementing it with other things to make sure everyone gets all they need.

 

[Cats Critters]

Thanks, and no worrys about medicated fed I have never found any at are TSC, and I will look into flock raiser.