Is it bad to feed a baby pullet layer feed for 2 weeks?

[cmom]

I had that happen before where the feed store missed making their order so I bought a small bag of layer crumbles that they had until the chick feed came in the following week. The chicks were fine.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The answer to the original question depends largely on the precise age of the pullets. I haven't seen that posted.
If they are over 10 weeks and it is only for 2 weeks, they're probably OK. You can start inching up the Ca content after 15 weeks in a pre-lay diet.

Nah, they should be just fine. My babies were eating later pellets before I figured out a new eating system and they’re perfectly fine. I have heard that the extra calcium in the layer feed is bad, and I have heard that that’s just a myth. You still want to give them grower/finisher though because it has the proper combo of vitamins and amino acids for their growing bodies. As soon as they lay their first egg you can change the food; but I wouldn’t throw out the grower/finisher I would finish the bag and just offer oyster shells.... or mix what you have left with layer pellets similar to when you change a dogs food.
Don’t worry - your babies are more than likely going to be perfectly fine.

It isn't a myth. It is proven by science and histological examination.
Chickens have 2 kidneys with 3 segments each. They can have ongoing damage but as long as they have 2 functioning segments, they will appear healthy and continue to lay eggs. When one of those last segments atrophies, they will die within 24 hours, often showing no symptoms. Unless someone has a necropsy performed on an unexplained death, they never know. That's why people don't believe it causes harm.
https://academic.oup.com/ps/article-abstract/64/12/2300/1582007?redirectedFrom=PDF
https://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03079458008418381

.... The Chick stater has ingredients that chicks need that layer doesn't and vice versa.

All chicken feed has exactly the same nutrients, just different ratios depending on the age of the bird it is intended to feed.
For example, all chickens need calcium. But birds actively building egg shells need much more and can use about 4%. All other birds do fine on 1% but the feeds all have calcium.
All chicken feed has all the same essential amino acids, all vitamins and minerals. They just have differing levels of each as well energy and fat.

 

[perchie.girl]

@ChickenCanoe I love it when you do input I have had chickens for thirty years now and I always learn something when you post.
deb

 

[lazy gardener]

Technically, any female chicken is called a pullet until she is a year old. Then she is called a hen.

 

[Aapomp831]

well, my chickens were perfectly fine and still are.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

@ChickenCanoe I love it when you do input I have had chickens for thirty years now and I always learn something when you post.
deb

 

[cmom]

Many Game Bird grower feeds are around 20% protein and is usually crumbles. I have also fed the youngsters this when my regular feed wasn't available.

 

[GreenMountainEric]

For what it is worth......
I have encountered several instances of customers feeding layer feed to young birds. Some have been fine, and some have not. The problem isn't so much that the calcium is too high. It is the ratio of calcium/phosphorous that is the issue. When their skeletal structure is growing rapidly, they need a cal/phos ratio of about 2:1. Layer feed is about 8:1.

Most commonly, the chicks/pullets can develop Rickets. Even the ones that seem fine could have mild cases. I have had cases where the birds still grew up fine, and seemed ok, but actually weren't. I have also seen cases with a 100% mortality outcome.

It is more critical when they are younger. I would say that feeding layer feed under 10 weeks is a big no-no. From 10-16 is not recommended, and beyond 16 weeks is not usually a problem. Ideally, you wouldn't feed layer feed until the birds are more than three pounds, and 18+ weeks of age.

 

[cmom]

I hope their chicks are ok. The first couple of weeks they do grow like weeds. The feed store that I usually get my feed from hasn't ordered any feed for probably over a month because their sales was down and they like to keep the feed fresh. They didn't have my usual chick feed so I bought a smaller bag of regular medicated starter which is 19% protein. I usually get Show Gold medicated chick starter which is 26%. I did give my chicks some Save-A-Chick electrolytes and vitamins in their water.