Laying feed?

[Cinnamon11]

I have a flock of six chickens, 3 6 year old hens, and 3 19 week old pullets. The pullets are a white leghorn, blue Cochin, and a cuckoo maran. I know the blue Cochin and cuckoo maran won’t be laying for a while (I’m expecting eggs from the white leghorn any day). Should I be feeding them all laying feed or not if not how should I separate the food without separating the chickens?

 

[cavemanrich]

Very easy solution used by many, including myself. I feed all my chickens Alflock feed. I have Layers, and Non layers. Oldest hen is over 8 years old, and youngest is about 3 months. Plus everything in-between.
My choice for Alflock, is the 2% calcium, which is fine for Non layers. Roosters, Etc. I supplement the calcium needs for those laying with Cracked Oyster Shells, Free-choice.
Layer feed is just fine, if Most of your chickens are laying eggs. For those not laying, the 4% calcium in Layer feed, can lead to kidney, and liver failure. Don't get alarmed, since it does not happen like instantly, but rather in the long term. All my chickens are pets, and live long lives.
Many peeps cycle out their layers after their prime laying years, and the spent chickens do end up as soup. I have no quarrels with peeps doing this, as that is the purpose of the chickens anyways, to provide people nutrition.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[RoosterML]

I use a mixture of 1/3 layer, 1/3 grower, 1/3 Broiler feed. I have everything from 1 week old to 2 year olds

 

[GC-Raptor]

Should I be feeding them all laying feed or not if not

So your hens and pullets have been separate till now?

I would temporarily feed all a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower with a container of Oyster Shells available till the Moran and Cochin look ready to lay.

So if your hens didn't have Oyster Shells available before, they may lay a few soft shelled eggs till they realize they need to consume the Oyster Shells.
Put a container near the feed and inside/outside the coop.
Scatter some in their pen/coop with Scratch Grains/seeds and in their favorite dust bathing area.

I haven't fed a Layers feed in 3 years. I like a feed with 18 to 20% Protein because I give a daily treat of Scratch Grains.
So I feed a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower or a All-Flock crumble, with a container of Oyster Shells.

I keep different age flocks separate so I offer Oyster Shells to my Pullets in their own pen after 15 weeks old, so they can sample the shells before they need it.

My pullets are 21 weeks old. 4 of 5 are laying.
My 3 Barred Rocks are 2 years old.
They all lay beautiful eggs. . GC

 

[RoosterML]

So your hens and pullets have been separate till now?

I would temporarily feed all a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower with a container of Oyster Shells available till the Moran and Cochin look ready to lay.View attachment 2350091
So if your hens didn't have Oyster Shells available before, they may lay a few soft shelled eggs till they realize they need to consume the Oyster Shells.
Put a container near the feed and inside/outside the coop.
Scatter some in their pen/coop with Scratch Grains/seeds and in their favorite dust bathing area.

I haven't fed a Layers feed in 3 years. I like a feed with 18 to 20% Protein because I give a daily treat of Scratch Grains.
So I feed a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower or a All-Flock crumble, with a container of Oyster Shells.

I keep different age flocks separate so I offer Oyster Shells to my Pullets in their own pen after 15 weeks old, so they can sample the shells before they need it.View attachment 2350100
My pullets are 21 weeks old. 4 of 5 are laying.
My 3 Barred Rocks are 2 years old.
They all lay beautiful eggs.View attachment 2350106. GC

Out of curiosity why are you still keeping them separate?

 

[GC-Raptor]

Out of curiosity why are you still keeping them separate?

My coops are small, 18 and 22 square feet.
A benefit is I don't have to integrate.
Coops are near each other and accessible through a gate.

. GC

 

[RoosterML]

My coops are small, 18 and 22 square feet.
A benefit is I don't have to integrate.
Coops are near each other and accessible through a gate.View attachment 2350136. GC

Got ya

 

[Cinnamon11]

Very easy solution used by many, including myself. I feed all my chickens Alflock feed. I have Layers, and Non layers. Oldest hen is over 8 years old, and youngest is about 3 months. Plus everything in-between.
My choice for Alflock, is the 2% calcium, which is fine for Non layers. Roosters, Etc. I supplement the calcium needs for those laying with Cracked Oyster Shells, Free-choice.
Layer feed is just fine, if Most of your chickens are laying eggs. For those not laying, the 4% calcium in Layer feed, can lead to kidney, and liver failure. Don't get alarmed, since it does not happen like instantly, but rather in the long term. All my chickens are pets, and live long lives.
Many peeps cycle out their layers after their prime laying years, and the spent chickens do end up as soup. I have no quarrels with peeps doing this, as that is the purpose of the chickens anyways, to provide people nutrition.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you so much!

 

[Cinnamon11]

So your hens and pullets have been separate till now?

I would temporarily feed all a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower with a container of Oyster Shells available till the Moran and Cochin look ready to lay.View attachment 2350091
So if your hens didn't have Oyster Shells available before, they may lay a few soft shelled eggs till they realize they need to consume the Oyster Shells.
Put a container near the feed and inside/outside the coop.
Scatter some in their pen/coop with Scratch Grains/seeds and in their favorite dust bathing area.

I haven't fed a Layers feed in 3 years. I like a feed with 18 to 20% Protein because I give a daily treat of Scratch Grains.
So I feed a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower or a All-Flock crumble, with a container of Oyster Shells.

I keep different age flocks separate so I offer Oyster Shells to my Pullets in their own pen after 15 weeks old, so they can sample the shells before they need it.View attachment 2350100
My pullets are 21 weeks old. 4 of 5 are laying.
My 3 Barred Rocks are 2 years old.
They all lay beautiful eggs.View attachment 2350106. GC

Thank you I’ll start doing this!

 

[Cinnamon11]

Out of curiosity why are you still keeping them separate?

They’ve been together for about a month or two