Feeding situation w/ different ages, what to do?

[rhaj]

I have 4 pullets that are 8 weeks old that are eating starter/grower food. Yesterday, I got 2 blue silkies, one is 3 1/2 months old and is probably ok eating starter/grower for now atleast. The other is 1 year old and a layer. She was in with roosters where she came from, so I was going to let her be broody if she lays anything anytime soon (my only chance since I don't have roosters).

I just realized, she is supposed to be on layer feed and may not be able to eat starter/grower. What to do?? Would she be ok eating it for say a month, if I could move my others to layer crumbles early? (in a month they will be 12-ish weeks). Since I am hoping for some hatching eggs, it may be especially important to be on layer feed? (just guessing though)

Help? Thanks!!

 

[NonnasBabies]

I feed everyone Flock Raiser and just make sure my layers have free choice oyster shells!!

Missi

 

[rhaj]

OH NO, it is medicated starter! Just saw this on a different thread:

Quote:
I am feeding medicated starter/grower. Is this 7 day rule just when it comes to *eating* the eggs? or does it apply to her hatching the eggs too????? Would the chicks inside the eggs be ok? or would it hurt them?

 

[rhaj]

Update:

Well I didn't know what to do and didn't know if I should leave in the medicated food, so I went to the local feed store for flock raiser... didn't see that so I grabbed a bag of chick grower crumbles because they are non-medicated. It says 8 weeks to 18 weeks I think. My little ones are 8 weeks so that will work for them. I hope it will be ok for the layer, at least temporarily (probably better than the medicated stuff atleast). I forgot to get oyster shells, so I will do that tomorrow.

 

[ella]

Just look at the active ingredient in the medicated feed, if it's amprolium, you don't need to worry about the hens eating it.

You can google amprolium to learn more about it. But basically it's a modified B vitamin that keeps the cocci parasite from overwhelming a chicks system and allows the chick time to develop an immunity to it. It's not an antibiotic and doesn't have a withdrawl time.