feeding different age chickens

[chris deiss]

Hi my names chris just had a question about feed. I have 4 12 week old pullets and 11 3 week old chicks. They are being kept seperate until they are closer in size but when I put them together the older ones will be on laying feed and the little ones on chick feed. Can I just keep them all on chick feed and give them an oyster shell subsidy ?

 

[buildingmyark]

That's a really good question. I have not had to deal with that yet, but it will be an issue soon. Interested to see what a good solution would be.

 

[Illia]

If I were you, I'd give them all chick feed, then once the older ones reach around 18-21 weeks, you can either add oyster shell or switch to hen feed. It is fine if a young pullet, such as at the age of 11 weeks, is given layer feed - The only worries would be giving a young cockerel layer feed.

Honestly though I'd do the Oyster shell thing at 19 weeks for the older ones. I like giving my chicks a good amount of protein until they begin laying. I've had a group of pullets eating hen feed at 8 weeks and older, and a group eating chick feed until 17 weeks, then switching to hen feed. The group with a heavy chick feed diet actually matured better.

 

[OliviaDeHav]

We are having this issue also.... We've mixed it togehter.... chick feed with layer feed. I've been wondering if this will work ok....

 

[cletus the rooster]

we use starter and give oyster shell free will and it works out great.we have chickens ranging from day old to 2 years old.the little ones wont eat the shell and the older ones take what that want.