Feeding Question

[Triumph65]

Hi,
I have 6 full sized hens and 2 roosters in my chicken coup. Currently I have a part of the coup partitioned off for the 6 younger chickens (8 weeks old). The younger chickens have separate food and water. I am currently feeding them Purina Start and Grow.
The laying Hens are getting a mix of Purina Organic layer pellets and Purina Organic Scratch grains.
I planned to release the pullets out of their enclosure but not sure at what point to do this. Once released they will have access to the Purina Organic Pellets & Scratch grains, unless I change the food for all the hens.
I read that the pellets for laying hens have too much calcium and can hurt the pullets.
So my two questions:
1. At what age can I release the pullets to the mature hens and roosters?
2. Do I need to make a food change as they will have access to the big hrm food?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

You can put your entire flock on chick starter and provide extra calcium for the LAYING HENS if the shells thin. I would get all the birds together ASAP so that they can get the pecking order established and there isn't severe bulling. As for the rooster mating young hens- let nature run it's course he knows where there at and the young hens will know as well.

 

[Kiki]

Why are you mixing a layer pellet with a scratch grain?

Please stop that immediately and feed your older birds only the layer pellet.
Mixing a complete balanced feed (what the layer pellet is) with a junk food like scratch is not good.

 

[Triumph65]

@Kiki - I was feeding H&H Old Fashion Layer but it seemed 1/4 of the bags where dust. This caused problems because I use a feed box with ports, so all the dust would settle on bottom and chickens could not get to pellets.
The two organic Purina feeds together have a mixture of seed and pellets. Here is a picture of the bags.
The Purina Organic scratch grains are almost all seed and loose grain.

 

[rosemarythyme]

"Purina® Organic Scratch Grains [...] as a treat to complement their complete feed." It's not feed, it's a treat and by mixing it with their feed you're diluting down the nutrition of the actual feed. Treats should be fed very minimally, 10% or less of their daily input.

For the other questions:

1) Technically, now. I integrate very early (and set up to do so) with a goal of having chicks live with adults at 4 weeks.

2) Entire flock should be eating whatever the youngest birds are eating. The layer feed is not recommended for the roosters either, which may or may not matter to you if you plan on cycling out roosters before they suffer any long term effects of the extra calcium.

 

[Triumph65]

@rosemarythyme - I understand what you and @Kiki are saying now. I will change the feed out to the pellets only and when I mix in the youngsters will change it all to the starter/grower until the youngsters are laying.
My chickens are free range as well, so they get much of their food when out & about.

Once the youngsters are integrated I can switch feeds again. What should I feed the flock at that time, that will also be ok for the roosters? Also, how do I supplement the hens only with calcium?

Thank you!

 

[Happy hen lover]

Supply oyster shell free choice, layers will eat if needed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Once the youngsters are integrated I can switch feeds again. What should I feed the flock at that time, that will also be ok for the roosters? Also, how do I supplement the hens only with calcium?

You can stay on grower or all flock for the life of the birds. In full disclosure, when I have no chicks in the flock I feed both grower and layer and adjust the ratio through the year, however I have no roosters.

I have free choice oyster shell available throughout the year (even winter, when it's ignored). Most hens will eat it as needed for their calcium needs.

 

[Tonyroo]

I use meatbird feed and layer feed in different containers next to each other. My flock consists of 1 rooster and 5 hens.

My rooster only eats the meatbird feed while the hen eat both.

 

[Tonyroo]

I have to also mention that I stopped using crushed oyster a year ago. The hens ignored it and have had zero shell issues.