How in the heck do I keep the food separate?

[CluckyCluck]

Okay so - I have 6 hens. 3 chicks, two are 2 months old, the other is 1.5 months old.

I think the barred rock will be a rooster. My new coop is finished and now I'm not sure what to do.

How do keep the big girls from eating the little ones medicated food? How long do they need the medicated food, and how do I keep the little ones from eating the big girls food, and if the barred rock ends up to be a rooster, how do I keep him from eating the layer crumbles?

This whole food thing just became complicated when the coop was complete today. I have them all in there together for the first time - previously I had the small ones in a locked small coop at night, and the big girls just free ranged and had a make shift TSC coop that they squeezed into.

So how do you guys keep em separate?

 

[Fred's Hens]

You don't. Honestly, when one has a mixed flock, just feed something everyone can eat. Sure, some feed companies market such feeds as All Flock or Flock Raiser, but a non-medicated Starter/Grower is essentially the same feed. Choose a protein level of around 18% and everyone will flourish just fine, from brooded out chicks to layers.


Just offer the laying hens some calcium source, on the side. The younger birds don't normally mess with it, since their bodies aren't craving calcium.

 

[CluckyCluck]

Ahh - so I can just put a bowl of oyster shells and they will eat it? Here I was putting it in their crumbles hoping they "accidentally" ate it lol. It seemed to be working, and duh, now I know why!

Okay so - do you have to change chicken feed slowly like you do with horses or not at all?

And when can the younger ones go off of the medicated feed?

 

[Judy]

You don't even have to worry about the laying hens eating medicated (if with amprolium) feed, according to Purina. They don't absorb enough to worry about; it stays in the gut. I wouldn't mix oyster shell with anything. I have changed feeds without mixing and without a problem. I feel about the only time I would bother is if they were resisting a new feed. And, in the end, they will eat when they get hungry enough.

 

[donrae]

Your young ones can come off the medicated feed anytime. As Fred said, keep it simple and just feed an all-in-one type feed and offer oyster shell. The young birds may taste the shell but won't eat much. The rooster may pick some up and call the hens to it cause he knows they like it *I never get tired of watching a rooster call his ladies for treats* .

 

[CluckyCluck]

My TSC only had 16% or 20% protein so I went with 20% and put a bowl of shells.

I feel like their combs aren't as red any more - but I could be paranoid.