keeping pullets with the rest of the chickens

[ambrosegirl84]

Hi. I have 3 9 week old pullets, 4 hens and a rooster. I had the pullets in their brooder until they got too big and then had them at my parents place as I was staying there and they had a nice pen. Now that we are back I put then in with the chickens.

So far so good. No signs of stress in the little birds although my hens aren't laying as much. My question is this...what kind of feed should I have put out for everyone? I currently b have layer and grower separate but they are of course rating each other's food. There's really no way for me to separate them with the way the coop is set up. But I just read the pullets could become unhealthy from eating the layer feed.

 

[Judy]

They may be old enough for layer. I would probably put the layer away for a month or so and feed everyone grower, which will work fine as an all purpose feed. If you keep oyster shell in another container, hopefully the layers won't have a problem with calcium. Lots of people routinely feed a flock raiser or all flock type feed to avoid the calclium for those who don't need it.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

The pullets cannot eat the layer feed until they reach 18 weeks of age. Otherwise, it will damage their kidneys, cause problems in their inner organs and halt or delay egg production in the future. So, put them all on your pullet feed until the pullets are 18 weeks. (They can't have direct calcium until they reach 18 weeks either.)

 

[Judy]

Mountain, I would be interested if you have a link to some definitive research that indicates what you said. I've never seen anything but educated guesswork in this area, other than for very young chicks.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Mountain, I would be interested if you have a link to some definitive research that indicates what you said. I've never seen anything but educated guesswork in this area, other than for very young chicks.

Here ya' go. I had more but I can't seem to find them...

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/12/quick-reference-feed-guide-chick-to.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/feeding-chickens-at-different-ages.html

 

[Fred's Hens]

Mountain, I would be interested if you have a link to some definitive research that indicates what you said. I've never seen anything but educated guesswork in this area, other than for very young chicks.

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36

This link is to the science, not just other blogs stating opinions, correct as those opinions are or are not.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36

This link is to the science, not just other blogs stating opinions, correct as those opinions are or are not.

Thanks you for posting that!! That's one of the others I had but couldn't find.

 

[EastTXChickens]

I grew up on the gulf coast where roads were paved with crushed oyster shells. I wonder why free ranging chickens then and now living in that calcium rich environment make it?

 

[Judy]

I grew up on the gulf coast where roads were paved with crushed oyster shells. I wonder why free ranging chickens then and now living in that calcium rich environment make it?

There may be a higher incidence of renal damage, etc. in that area -- or not. It doesn't seem like they would eat a lot of oyster shell when they are hungry for bugs and grass, though.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's my theory, for what's it's worth, based on a half century of keeping these birds. They have incredibly functioning inner sense, call it imprinted instinct.

If a laying hen needs calcium, she would peck at shells or seek to forage and eat calcium rich food, if she can. A non-laying bird would not have that inner drive for high calcium intake. Nothing is instinctively "urging" it to take it in.

The problem with the modern pelletized or crumbled feed, is that for the first time in the chicken's 5000 year history of domestication, the calcium is hidden inside the feed. The bird is hungry and eats. And eats. It cannot separate the ingredients.

The modern keeper who often provides 99% of their bird's feed/calories and keeps birds in a highly restricted environment has to exercise wisdom and note the directions of the feed company that provides that feed. Those companies follow the nutritional and dietary guidance available from modern avian dietary research. In many cases, the modern chicken has very little options in self regulation of their own dietary intake.