feeding - Hen and pullets

[carousel]

My friend will be getting 8, 8-12 weeks pullets and 1 - 15 month old laying hen.
can she just put out "one feed" for the entire group?
can she prehaps mix laying food an starter/grower?
thoughts?
thanks,
CS

 

[CUDA]

Put out the starter, and provide a dish of oyster shells for the hen and you will be fine. Good luck!

 

[carousel]

Thanks!
CS

 

[tinman9952]

If they are already older than 8 weeks, layer pellets are okay for all of them....right?

 

[airmom1c05]

tinman, layer pellets shouldn't be fed until the chicken lays her first egg. Younger chickens won't have any desire to eat the oyster shell, so I'm in agreement with CUDA on this one. I recently took CUDA's advice and all is well!

 

[carousel]

Thanks
it seemed like a great idea for my friend as she will get 1 already laying and 7 or 8 whatever she ends up with in the future.
the only issue we seemed to have was the feed.
I don't think one hen should be able to harras so many younger pullets. She is the bottom of the pecking order in her current group.
c

 

[greenmulberry]

I buy "all purpose" poultry feed when I have young pullets and laying hens. It is like layer crumbles without the extra calcium.

 

[wynedot55]

at that age id put all the hens on layer pellets.they are old enough to eat them.

 

[CUDA]

The main reason for keeping calcium separate from your feed is to allow the birds to eat the extra calcium as their body needs, and not over feed the calcium to birds that don't need it. Each bird will have it's own needs for this, and will regulate it's calcium levels as needed. High calcium diet to birds that don't need it, can be harmful to them, especially if you have roosters and young birds. JMO