I Need advice

[crzychicken]

Hello,I have a few questions, I just integrated my 7 and 17 week old chicks together last night was thier first night in the big coop for both the 7 and the 17 week olds. (all went real well) My 7wk old chicks have about 1/4 of a bag of medicated chick stater feed left and my 17 week old chick are still on chick grower.

1 Is it alright that my 7 wk olds eat grower ?

2 Can my 17 week old eat med. starter?

3. When and how do I switch the 17 week olds over to layer

4. How do I prevent my younger ones from eating the layer feed?

Thank you
Jody

 

[eggzettera]

Need more info kinda confused - are they all layers?

Grower is usually used on meat birds...

If they are all layers they is different schools of thought, everyone has their own method. I gradually add layer pellets gradually to the starter slowly upping the ratio until right @ the time the should be laying they are eating 100% layer.
JMO
OTH

My smilie icons are not working so let me type...... WELCOME TO BYC!

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I was just reading in a poultry book that some people take grass when the cut it and chop it up into chicken size bites and let it dry up. They feed this as a supplement treat. This is meant for those that don't keep a mono lawn. But, like mine which is nothing but weeds. They supposedly pick out what they like.

 

[the1much]

its alright for both to eat both,,,, if the layer is to much for the chicks they wont eat it,, and the starter is good for ALL chickens at any age. what kind of birds are they?

 

[crzychicken]

I was told to put them on grower after 9weeks than onto layer feed my 17 week old chicks - 1 EE 2 comets 2 Black Giants

7 weeks olds chicks - 4 silkies, 2 barred rock batems, 2red stars, 2 astrop, 2 leghorn. 2 doms, 5 RIR 4 EE, 1buff orpan,2 jersey gaints

 

[Akane]

Yes they can all eat grower. I would prefer not to feed them medicated after 8-10weeks but you can use up the bag without causing them any harm. You could switch them to layer but personally my choice would be to put out some oyster shell or other calcium source for the older ones when they start laying and leave everyone on grower until the younger ones get closer to laying age. Usually when I switch from one feed to another I mix the last week or 2 worth 50/50 with the new feed.

 

[nhnanna]

I agree with Akane.
I was told to put out what most of the flock is eating and offer oyster shell for those who wanted or needed it.

 

[crazychicken]

i have used med chick starter on 1 day olds up two the point where they were surprising me with eggs and i said well i guess you guys need layer now huh:
i have one month olds with a 3 month old long story on how i got one three month old .

 

[cmom]

I use Starter/Grower until I get my first egg then I switch to layer. If I have any Starter/Grower left I mix it with the layer. If you are using Starter at 8 weeks you can switch them over to Grower, and when you get your first egg then switch them over to Layer.

 

[the1much]

in my "for sale" pen,, i give my 2 baby sitters their regular food, and put ALOT of starter in for the chicks, my regular food is ,, game conditioner, game maintenance, and 3 grain scratch all mixed together, and once a week ALL my birds get medicated starter. ive had 1 roo catch a cold in 2 years, ( but have been given sick birds to make better and keep)
i dont do "layer" cause i just havent seen it or know what it is,, and my hens dont get laying pellets,, and yet lay better and more then my friends all around me lol.




EDIT: ta say,, they also get table scraps every night.