Grower to Layer Help

[JennaPara]

My girls are 10 weeks old and on grower food. They have been sharing a segregated section of the coop with the ladies for 4weeks now. This past weekend we started letting them roost with the ladies. All has been well. Now its time to share the run. My dilemma.. my girls are insistent on eating the layers feed. I've been told at this age it's still dangerous for the girls to be eating like the ladies. How do you separate them in the run but keep them socializing together so when it's time to be layers there is no issues?

 

[21hens-incharge]

You could switch the grown ups to an all flock feed and keep oyster shell available in a dish near the food. The adults will eat what they need and the young ones don't need it yet so won't eat it.

 

[drinkoj]

You could switch the grown ups to an all flock feed and keep oyster shell available in a dish near the food. The adults will eat what they need and the young ones don't need it yet so won't eat it.

Pellets or crumbles?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pellets or crumbles?

Are the grown ups on pellets now? Do you prefer to feed pellets?
If so try to get pellets.

Here I have a hard time finding all flock as pellets.

 

[drinkoj]

Are the grown ups on pellets now? Do you prefer to feed pellets?
If so try to get pellets.

Here I have a hard time finding all flock as pellets.

No. I have 15 week and 5 week chicks. Just thinking about what I'll feed in about a month, as my Leghorns will be within laying age, and wondered if it mattered.

 

[21hens-incharge]

No. I have 15 week and 5 week chicks. Just thinking about what I'll feed in about a month, as my Leghorns will be within laying age, and wondered if it mattered.

I feed starter until everyone is laying. Since yours are on starter now you COULD continue starter feed and just put oyster shell in a dish near the food.

One thing I will mention.....my production breeds (like leghorn) weren't getting enough oyster shell on their own. Since I don't have a rooster I switched to a layer feed and am seeing rather rapid shell quality improvement. I moved my older non production breeds to a separate coop so they can stay on the all flock.
What I am saying is IF you see thin shells feeding layer may help. Your younger birds will be laying before your older group would have depleted their reserves so I think you are ok not feeding layer until your young ones are laying.