feeding different aged birds

[Lizabelsherrill]

I have 6 birds that are differnet ages. My oldest is a bantam and she is about 9 months old. I have 2 buff orpingtons that are seven weeks and 3 EEs that are 8-12 weeks old. My bantam is already outside in the coop. She's laying eggs in the nest boxes and free ranging during the day. I leave food out for her but she isn't eating very much of it. I also have oyster shell for her. I'm getting ready to move the chicks to the coop but don't know how to keep them from eating the layer feed and/or the oyster shell. I know they don't need the calicum right now. Any suggestions? Or am I needlessly worrying?

 

[Judy]

If there has been a safe age established for young birds eating layer, I don't know what it is. Personally I'd remove the layer for another month or so, and feed everyone starter or grower. There is no problem, really, with feeding an adult flock starter or grower, at least for that couple of months the chicks need it. It's maybe a little more protein than they need, but short term should be no problem. I fed my bunch 18% starter or grower for at least year without any visible problem, or decrease in production. The hens will be fine with oyster shell offered separately, and the chicks shouldn't bother the oyster shell. Flock raiser is another option. I do think some people switch to layer at 8 or 10 weeks, but I'm more comfortable with waiting a bit longer.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I won’t say you are needlessly worrying but you are not in as bad a shape as some people. And there is an easy fix.

There are studies that clearly show eating excess calcium can harm young growing chicks. It really can. Those studies are about feeding the chicks nothing but Layer. Nothing but Layer! That’s important.

One bite won’t kill them. It’s not how much calcium is in one bite of what they eat, but how much total calcium they eat. It’s not just what they eat in one day but how much total they eat every day over a time period.

Oyster shell works pretty well. Chickens seem to instinctively know how much calcium they need. The ones that need it for the egg shells will eat it if they need it. The ones that don’t need it won’t eat enough to harm themselves. So don’t worry about the oyster shell. What you are doing with it is a common way we deal with this problem.

The Layer is another issue. If they free range for the majority of their food, they probably won’t get enough extra calcium to harm themselves. Probably. I can’t give you guarantees. The easy fix to be sure is to not feed Layer. Instead feed Starter, Grower, Flock Raiser, something else that does not have the excess calcium. If Layer is available they will eat it, you just don’t know how much. Depends on how much they forage.

If they free range, they can get a lot of calcium from that. Many weeds and plants contain a fair amount of calcium. Hard-shelled bugs and many creepy crawlies they love provide calcium. If your native rock is limestone, they get calcium from the rocks they eat as grit. It depends on the quality of forage and the native rock, but don’t be shocked if a free range bird pretty much ignores the oyster shell.

Don’t be too surprised if a hen that free ranges doesn’t eat much of the feed you buy for her. If the quality of forage is good, they can do a pretty good job of feeding themselves.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
One bite won’t kill them. It’s not how much calcium is in one bite of what they eat, but how much total calcium they eat. It’s not just what they eat in one day but how much total they eat every day over a time period.

Oyster shell works pretty well. Chickens seem to instinctively know how much calcium they need. The ones that need it for the egg shells will eat it if they need it. The ones that don’t need it won’t eat enough to harm themselves. So don’t worry about the oyster shell. What you are doing with it is a common way we deal with this problem....

Don’t be too surprised if a hen that free ranges doesn’t eat much of the feed you buy for her. If the quality of forage is good, they can do a pretty good job of feeding themselves.

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