FEEDING MY HENS

[dsmith89]

Ok so I have three hens. One of which has 7 bitties running around her.

I have tried 3 different types of laying pellets/crumbles and my hens do not eat them well. I put a separate feeder with chick starter(unmedicated) in for the bitties and my hens eat the chick starter better.

My question is can I feed my hens chick starter from now on (obviously with an option of oyster shell for calcium purposes) and this be ok?

HELP!

 

[GertrudeLover01]

That should be fine. There's also a feed (from Purina, I believe) that is called Flock Raiser and can be fed to all ages. I wouldn't leave the layer food out because if the chicks eat it, their kidneys can shut down because of the excess calcium.

 

[dsmith89]

Ok the chicks have eaten a little of the layer feed but not enough to worry about? They are only 1 week old.

 

[GertrudeLover01]

They'll be fine if they only ate a little bit, just do not offer it to them anymore.

 

[dsmith89]

Thank you for the help

 

[GC-Raptor]

Ok so I have three hens. One of which has 7 bitties running around her.  

I have tried 3 different types of laying pellets/crumbles and my hens do not eat them well.  I put a separate feeder with chick starter(unmedicated) in for the bitties and my hens eat the chick starter better.  

My question is can I feed my hens chick starter from now on (obviously with an option of oyster shell for calcium purposes) and this be ok?

HELP!

Starter / Grower 18 percent protein is what I would use with oyster shell in a separate container raised up so chicks can't get at.
As far as adults not eating layers feed. When I switched from start/grow, I tossed the layer pellets on the ground instead of scratch grains and they gobbled them up. I did this for 2 days. Then I mixed half and half old feed with the new. Worked for me, Hope it works for you.
Wait till the little ones are at least 16 weeks for layers feed. GS

 

[BruceAZ]

you can feed laying hens starter feed without any problem

i found this out myself when one of my hens started to lay
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1121551/our-very-first-egg/10#post_17310189

i was worried that continuing to give her starter feed will cause eggshell problem..

but nah..

she's eating from the same feeder as other hens for the last 2 weeks or so.. no problem what so ever

i didn't want to waste my starter feed so i'm feeding them until there's nothing left then i'll switch over to layer feed for all 5 hens..

i do allow my hens to roam around my backyard for 1-2 hr a day.. so they probably got their daily calcium from some where..