Flock of mixed ages - what to feed?

[JLS]

At this point I have layers and 11 week olds in the same coop. I currently have 2 feeders, one with grower crumbles and one with layer pellets. The hens LOVE the grower crumbles. I have noticed the young ones eating pellets from time to time. I also keep oyster shell in a wall feeder for free choice feeding which I am going through a lot of now!

Will the younger ones be okay of they're eating the layer pellets/oyster shell? Will the layers be okay if they eat the grower...a lot of it too?

 

[jerseygirl1]

I don't think you can feed the little ones layer feed just yet. I feed all mine from 8 weeks up Flock Raiser pellets/crumbles with free choice on the oyster shell. Solves all my problems!!Protein is fine, not too high, not too low, and I don't have to worry about keep the big ones seperate fom the little ones.

 

[JLS]

Quote:
So I just need to put the enire flock on Flock Raiser w/ free choice oyster shell? The hens will get enough calcium?

 

[AnnainMD]

I have layers on grower right now because I also have a mixed flock. I offer oyster shell free-choice and the shells have been nice and hard. There's only one way to find out and that's to try it. Good luck!

 

[jerseygirl1]

That's pretty well it, you have to try it and decide for yourself - I don't use the grower feed frmo TSC because it made their poop smell really bad............so I just did the flock raiser with oyster shell. The hens get their calcium from the free-choice oyster shell.