Integrating older hen into younger flock, advice needed!

[TheYLWFlock]

So today we gave our two roosters away to their new home and acquired a new eight week old pullet which is siblings with two of our other pullets. All has gone well with integration so far with the dominant birds gone. So now we have two 10 week olds and three 8 week old pullets. They are all eating their 18% grower feed.

The thing is, on Saturday we are getting a new hen, and she’s going to be a year old. But she’s a polish/Silkie cross with the big crest. She’s probably going to be bigger than the rest, and I’m not worried about them picking on her so much as I am about feeding her. I’m assuming that we’ll need to get layer pellets for her to eat?? Also some oister shells. But will it harm the younger pullets to eat some layer food? What about the oister shells? And what if she eats the younger pullets food? Will that harm her? Should I mix the two types of foods together? How many parts to how many parts of each? Sorry for so many questions, but I’d like to be prepared!!!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

She will most likely end up at the bottom of the pecking order. The crest limits vision and other chickens find it odd and will peck it out. Most people recommend keeping two or more Polish/Silkies in a flock so that they don’t seem so odd to the other chickens.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Thank you for the advice. Do you have any input on the feeding?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Thank you for the advice. Do you have any input on the feeding?

Sorry that’s not my forte

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Oh no problem! Thank you for offering what you do know!

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Anyone?

 

[CannedMonster]

They can all eat the grower as long as you offer oyster shells free choice in a separate container for the laying hen.
My layers like to eat some right before going to bed so I have it in the coop (feeders & water are kept outside protected from weather).

Many people think they must feed layer feed to layers. But it’s not necessary if they have oyster shell.
There’s also flock raiser or all flock feeds you can get too.
The younger birds may sample the oyster shell but that won’t hurt them and after a while it will lose its novelty to them.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

They can all eat the grower as long as you offer oyster shells free choice in a separate container for the laying hen.
My layers like to eat some right before going to bed so I have it in the coop (feeders & water are kept outside protected from weather).

Many people think they must feed layer feed to layers. But it’s not necessary if they have oyster shell.
There’s also flock raiser or all flock feeds you can get too.
The younger birds may sample the oyster shell but that won’t hurt them and after a while it will lose its novelty to them.

Thank you so much! So I don’t need to get any layer feed at all? Just the oyster shell. But eventually they will all eat layer feed, what age does that start?

Again, thank you for the help!

 

[aart]

Thank you so much! So I don’t need to get any layer feed at all? Just the oyster shell. But eventually they will all eat layer feed, what age does that start?

Again, thank you for the help!

If you're going to feed layer feed, it should not be given until they are all laying.
It's important to read the nutrition tags sewn into the bottom of all feed bags,
not just the big flashy lettering on the bag.

Many people never feed layer formulations.

I like to feed a flock raiser/starter/grower/finisher type crumble feed with 20% protein full time to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat. I do grind up the crumbles (in the blender) for the chicks for the first week or so.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer daily. I adjust the amounts of other feeds to get the protein levels desired with varying situations.
Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container. I also regularly offer digestive granite grit in the appropriate size, throw it out on the ground with the scratch. http://www.jupefeeds-sa.com/documents/GraniteGrit.pdf.

Animal protein (a freshly trapped mouse, a bit of canned mackerel, mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided once in while and during molting and/or if I see any feather eating.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Thank you so much for all of that amazing information @aart !!! I will be sure to follow your advic!