Feeding a mixed age flock?

[vjbakke]

We have 1 year old hens that get layer pellets, we will be adding our new girls with them in the next few months. They are 8 weeks old right now. What is the best way to feed them layer feed for the older girls and the starter crumble for the younger ones? I know the big girls will be pigs and love the starter feed.

Any suggestions?

 

[Den in Penn]

Feed them all an grower or all flock feed, with calcium supplement, egg shells or oyster shells, in a side dish. Layer just has added calcium for strong shells.

 

[vjbakke]

Our options are 21% protein starter ( non medicated), or 16% layer pellets ( what the older hens get right now). We have no all flock option and no grower option.

So the starter with extra oyster shell and maybe crushed egg shells should be ok until the young ones are ready to be on layer feed?

My thoughts with this is to switch over to the layer pellets again when the young ones are 16 weeks? or should we wait until they are laying? The young ones are all EE so I don't know how young they will lay. Our RSL were laying around 16 weeks and so was our dom.

 

[Den in Penn]

The 21% starter will work. The higher protein will not hurt the adults. The EEs may well start 20 weeks or latter its more their norm. I'd hold off till at least 18-20 weeks.