How do you feed when you have all ages mixed together?

[SusanJoM]

My flock is divided into two coops/runs right now. All the banties are in one (silkies, sebrights, b cochins), and all the standards are in the other (Ameraucanas, EE's, Marans, Black Austrolorpes and one Light Brahma).

I've got kids ranging from two weeks to 4 months all together, and no one has started laying yet.

They have plenty of room, and the standards get to free range all day, so they all seem to get along fine, but pretty soon some of them are going to start laying, and I'm wondering what I should do about feeding them then.

I'm planning on trying the new very small laying pellets that I found (Kings), but.....I'm still going to have youngsters eating at the same feeders as layers.....(Currently everyone is still on medicated crumbles)

Any suggestions?

Susan

 

[ZooMummzy]

I probably am not doing it "correctly", but I have 2 1/2 month olds in with 5 1/2 month olds and I have feeders with layer crumble and some with chicken starter. They all eat out of both feeders. It is just too complicated and hard (space wise) to separate them until they are both on layer. They are all doing fine and very healthy, normal size chickens for their ages. My first batch of chicks started eating layer crumble at 3 months due to my mistake but they grew up just fine. I either got lucky or it really doesn't matter.

 

[Henrietta23]

Quote:
I have pullets on grower/finisher and adult hens (and roos as well) on layer pellets. They all live together now so I just have one feeder full of each. I guess I'm hoping they'll go for what their bodies need? Not sure how that works but so I'm just making available what each needs.

 

[lovemychicks9]

get your self some Purina Flock Raiser food, take away the layer and feed the flock raiser to all of them until the youngest is old enough for layer feed. Put out a dish of oyster shell for the layers and problems solved . Flock raiser is for all ages and types of poultry and safe to feed to all of them.

 

[Katy]

I use Purina Flock Raiser too. I put out oyster shell for the hens who are laying. Even when everyone in a pen is laying age I don't feed layer because I don't want my roos to have all that extra calcium.

 

[ChickenToes]

I've been wondering this too! But my local feed store doesn't have flock raiser. Does that mean I'm stuck having to use 2 different feeders?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You should be able to use your grower and then add the oyster shell, or whatever you will use for calcium, in a separate feeder. The layers will know what they need for calcium and eat accordingly.

 

[SandraMort]

so the only thing wrong with flockraiser for layers is a calcium deficiency?

 

[Carole AM]

I use it too! I have to--with all the different sizes & ages, turkeys, ducks, chickens....