Feed question when introducing new pullets to flock....

[danalynn70]

I have 2 layers and 7 10-week-old chicks that are in the coop together with the chicks confined to a dog crate. I've been letting them mix during the day so the little girls can get out in the run. They get along great, and last night I had an awful time separating them, the chicks were trying to roost with the hens. I would love to just put them together, but my question is the food situation. I've read that the chicks should not eat the layer feed due to too much calcium... is it ok for the hens to eat grower pellets? The grower feed I use is not medicated. Will it compromise the safety of the eggs? Is calcium content the only big difference between these feeds? I could always supplement the hens. Thanks for any help!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The calcium content is the only significant difference. I did this a while back to show the differences.

A very common strategy in your situation is to provide Grower with oyster shell on the side. The ones that need oyster shell eat it. The ones that don't need it don't eat much if any.

I use the 16% Dumor’s Layer and the 15% Dumor’s Grower/Finisher, not the regular 16% grower,. Here is the breakdown of most of the analysis. I only included those that are in both. And looking at the ingredients, the Grower/Finisher contains only one thing that the Layer does not, calcium pantothenate. Otherwise the contents are identical. The proportions of these contents are changed a little to give the different analysis, but it is the same stuff. For what it is worth, both are ruminant meat and bone meal free.
You can see that there is a little difference in everything, but the only real difference is in calcium. As far as I am concerned, the differences in the rest are not very different from the variation they would get just free ranging and finding most of their own food.

16% Layer 15% Grower Flock Raiser
Protein 16 15 20
Lysine 0.7 0.65 0.95
Methionine 0.35 0.29 0.35
Crude Fat 2.5 2.7 3.5
Crude Fiber 7 5 5
Min Calcium 3.8 0.6 0.8
Max Calcium 4.8 1.1 1.3
Phosphorus 0.5 0.6 0.7
Min Salt 0.25 0.2 0.35
Max Salt 0.75 0.4 0.85

 

[danalynn70]

I really appreciate your reply, its just what I wanted to hear....Thanks!

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I was excited to give you my answer but then I read what Ridgerunner wrote - very thorough! Good answer.