Is Layer feed okay to feed when there are pullets 10+ wks old in to???

[emartin]

Is it safe to feed Layer feed to a flock with birds about 10-20 weeks old also when there's adult hens (7) in the same flock?

Or would the extra calcium that early be bad for the younger pullets?

~Ed

 

[bethandjoeync]

i know it's not really recommended that younger ones (under 16ish weeks) get layer feed because they need more protein and not so much calcium.

we had the same problem, so we fed chick starter 16% to them all and made sure the laying hens had the calcium supplements they needed

that worked the best for us and egg production was 3 a day out of 4 hens. so it didn't slow that down one bit!

hope that helps ya

 

[gritsar]

IMO, it would be better to feed the whole flock grower or non-medicated starter/grower and offer oyster shell on the side for the laying hens. The hens that need the oyster shell will take it. The others either won't or won't take enough to hurt them.

 

[emartin]

Think it would be fine if I fed both Layer and Grower Cal? I have two metal feeders in the coop and I figured I'd could fill one with Grower and one with Layer, or just mix Layer and Grower in both feeders.

What do you guys think?

~Ed

 

[gritsar]

You don't want the young ones to have the extra calcium right now. The twenty weekers, yes; but not the 10 week old ones.

 

[emartin]

Quote:
Out of curiosity what would too much calcium do to the little ones? Currently the youngest are Silkies at about 10-13 weeks old (not 100% sure their age, but they are fully feathered and have been fully feathered for many weeks now (5 weeks minimum).

Then the 15-20 week old ones are a Australorp pullet, Jersey Giant Pullet, Sultan roo, Gold Polish roos and hens, etc.

Just curious... Because the adult hens are doing the 'squat' and have full combs and still haven't layed yet so I am thinking if I feed both grower and layer formula mixed together it will help get the hens to lay faster....

~Ed

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Out of curiosity what would too much calcium do to the little ones? Currently the youngest are Silkies at about 10-13 weeks old (not 100% sure their age, but they are fully feathered and have been fully feathered for many weeks now (5 weeks minimum).

Then the 15-20 week old ones are a Australorp pullet, Jersey Giant Pullet, Sultan roo, Gold Polish roos and hens, etc.

Just curious... Because the adult hens are doing the 'squat' and have full combs and still haven't layed yet so I am thinking if I feed both grower and layer formula mixed together it will help get the hens to lay faster....

~Ed

My understanding is that it will settle in places you don't want extra calcium, like the kidneys. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Judy]

Yes, the calcium in layer feed damages young birds' kidneys. As others said, the young ones should not have it available. Feed starter or grower and oyster shell on the side.

 

[emartin]

Right now I already mixed in Layer Crumbles with Grower-CAL crumbles last night, so after that is gone, I'll just feed Grower-CAL for a few more weeks with Calcium Chips mixed in the feed (too big for the silkies to eat) to add calcium for the adults.

When would be a relatively safe[r] age to start feeding both Grower-CAL and Layer or just Layer? 15weeks? 17 weeks?

~Ed

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I would say 18 weeks. However, I wouldn't mix the oyster shell in with the feed. I feed it seperate, that way no one's wasting food by billing it out looking for oyster shell/grit.