Help fixing feed situation

[Hannychickenmama]

Hey y’all. I have a mixed age flock with my youngest ones being about 14-15 weeks old.

I ran out of grower food and had to give them layer feed for about a week before I was able to get more grower.

Do you think this amount of time on layer feed with the extra calcium/protein could have harmed them? Is there anything I should do now to get them back on track?

Let me know!! Ease these fears

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hey y’all. I have a mixed age flock with my youngest ones being about 14-15 weeks old.

I ran out of grower food and had to give them layer feed for about a week before I was able to get more grower.

Do you think this amount of time on layer feed with the extra calcium/protein could have harmed them? Is there anything I should do now to get them back on track?

Let me know!! Ease these fears

You can move them to Flock Raiser, or All Flock pellets. It's around 20% protein, & everyone can eat it.

For layers, they need oyster shells on the side in a separate container, or feeder.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Also what breeds?

 

[Hannychickenmama]

Thanks! That’s great info. I have been giving my bigger hens oyster shells and they have respond well.

I’m just hoping I didn’t hurt the little ones by giving them layer too soon. I’m back to grower and supplementing for now

 

[Hannychickenmama]

Also what breeds?

2 Cream legbars and a barred rock. Love them

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thanks! That’s great info. I have been giving my bigger hens oyster shells and they have respond well.

I’m just hoping I didn’t hurt the little ones by giving them layer too soon. I’m back to grower and supplementing for now

You're welcome.

I don't think a short term use of layer is enough to cause much harm.

 

[Yardmom]

No harm done. The possibility of calcium build up is something that would happen over a longer period of time.

 

[MysteryChicken]

2 Cream legbars and a barred rock. Love them

I like Rocks, but never had legbars.

 

[bruceha2000]

Hey y’all. I have a mixed age flock with my youngest ones being about 14-15 weeks old.

I ran out of grower food and had to give them layer feed for about a week before I was able to get more grower.

Do you think this amount of time on layer feed with the extra calcium/protein could have harmed them? Is there anything I should do now to get them back on track?

Let me know!! Ease these fears

If my hens are any indication I wouldn't worry about it. I'm now on my 6th batch of shipped chicks, starting in 2012. Only the original group ate grower until they were ready to lay. Every chick after that started into the layer feed as soon as they could get into the feeder. That has pretty much been at about 2 weeks. There is no way to keep the littles away from the older girls and the older ones would decimate the expensive 20% protein grower feed. Never saw any problems.

 

[Mrs. K]

People tend to fret this like it is going to kill them. And it is not. In fact, as the poster stated above, probably not any difference at all. It is like giving a kid a pop when they are kindergarten. Is it a great food source? No, is it going to stunt their growth and mathematical reasoning, no.