HELP! don't know what to do!!

[Mystery Peepers]

I have just gotten 2 full grown layers. 1 black australorp and 1 new hampshire red. I added them to my 8 week old chickens out in their coop and run. The 8 week old ones eat chick starter grower and the layers eat layer food. I put both out there, but their eating each other's food!! What do i do?!!!?!! Will it hurt the small ones to eat the big one's food, or will the small one's food help my layers to make eggs?!!!??? I also put oyster shells out, but the big ones only eat that.

Any advice would help!!

-mystery peepers

 

[Imp]

Layer pellets have a lot of calcium in it. Might be a problem for the chicks- can cause kidney damage. I would avoid it until the chicks are laying or close to laying. I'm not sure what to use, maybe a grower or keep them all on starter. Someone else with more experience with chicks can give better advice.

Imp

 

[ella]

Layer feed can hurt the chicks, they can't get rid of the excess calcium and it can cause organ damage.

Chick starter/grower is fine for the whole flock. If it's medicated make sure it's Amprolium. I would personally keep them on chick starter with Amprolium. It would break my heart to lose chicks to cocci when it's so preventable.

 

[Mystery Peepers]

Thank you!
So, if I feed them chick grower/starter it won't hamper their egg laying any?

-M.P.

 

[RendonRoo]

not as long as they have oyster shells available for calcuim(the layers).

 

[ella]

Laying is determined by genetics and hormones, not calcium.

Don't get me wrong, layers need extra calcium, if they don't get enough they'll take it from their bones. But feeding or not feeding calcium won't affect the number of eggs they lay.

 

[Andora]

I have discovered that the smaller chicks can't eat layer pellets. My 10 week olds can't gobble the pellets down at all. The 10 week olds (and a few younger ones mixed in) have their own coop, and the hens have their own coop, but they share a big yard area to range in. The hens have a feeder with layer pellets and the chicks have a feeder in their coop with mash. If the chicks go into the hen coop and try to eat their food, they can't get it down! They are much happier to eat the mash.

If you go the route of feeding chick feed to everyone with oyster shells sitting out, what keeps the chicks from eating the smaller pieces of oyster shell?

 

[ella]

Layers crave calcium, chicks don't, so chicks don't chow down on it like mature hens do. Any little bit they might taste is not going to harm them.

 

[noitulover]

i have a similar problem... i have one laying hen and the rest of the flock is too young. i'm feeding them basically 3/4 "grower/finisher" and and 1/4 layer feed.

everyone is fine and the layer is still laying, so i assume everyone is getting the right nutrients!