Integrating to flock when on different foods

[Henflummoxed]

Hi folks. I have two laying hens, both 3 years old or so, and recently got two young Jersey Giants to join them. They are maybe 4.5 months old and are doing well. One could be a bit younger, it still makes a cheeping sound. I have them separated from my older ladies and on grower food. I'd like to integrate them to the main coop and run with the two, but can't see how I could keep them on grower feed until they lay if I did. Would it be better to keep them separated until they are 6 months? Would eating laying crumbs be detrimental to their development at this point? Would mixing grower feed in with laying crumbs be bad for everyone? I can't see an easy solution apart from continued separation, which I'd rather not keep doing for that long. Any ideas or advice appreciated!

 

[AMURPHY227]

You can switch them now, it won't hurt them.

I've always keep mine on grower feed until they reach about 16-18 weeks old, then will finish out the last bag and switch them to layer feed.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You can feed all your chickens grower feed until forever actually. Or switch the young ones over to an all-flock formula any time. Just provide calcium for the layers in the form of oyster shell, crushed or flaked, in a separate vessel always available in a dry location. The birds that need it will help themselves, those that don't will ignore it. Most of us with mixed flocks do this.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

At right in this pic are two cat-food gravity feeders in which I supply my birds crushed granite grit and oyster shell, respectively. Each one holds about a gallon. I fill these up maybe once or twice a year for my 20+ birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Many of us have mixed age flocks and never feed Layer. Just offer a low calcium feed that fulfills nutritional needs and offer oyster shell on the side. That way you do not need to worry about harming chickens like chicks, roosters, broody hens, or molting hens by forcing them to eat more calcium than is good for them.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Put out both feeds, all the chickens will eat both, you don't have to worry about too much or too little calcium in either. Chickens are good about knowing what they truly need.

edit: Others mentioned just using grower, which is true! To add calcium to this, keep egg shells and bake for 10 minutes on 180°F heat. Crush if you like in a bag after this, but they should be somewhat crumbly at this point anyways and safe for chicken consumption. Oyster shell is a purchasable alternative to the previous. The girls will take what they need and it makes it safe for any roosters to eat too.