Need Knowledge on Feeding different Ages in a Flock

[KodiPie]

I am a new at raising chickens and need some help and understanding on some feeds.
My Flock consists of: 7 chickens different ages.
(4) pullets (1) turned out to be a rooster age: 14 weeks old (these are my original flock)
Then on May 24th I added
(2) pullets 11-12 weeks old Orpingtons
(1) Light Brahma 28 weeks old and she is laying and has been through one broody period

I started feeding my original chicks medicated feed. When I added the other (3) I had to buy layer pellets
for the Brahma. I try to feed oyster shell to her so the young ones do not eat it. So far so good though,
she does not get that much of it.

My concern is if she eats the medicated feed is it all right for us to eat her eggs?
The little ones except for the rooster who is much bigger then his siblings is eating her food and the medicated food.

Am I feeding them right? The medicated food will stop soon for the original four, but I still need to feed the younger ones!
Am I going to have to seperate all of them? I have two areas the run and the yard which they forage especially the Orpintons.

I also feed them at dinner scraps, oatmeal yogurt, tomatoes and greens.

Your help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I don't need to be so concerned?

 

[Percheron chick]

You don't want a layer to be eating medicated food. It does end up in the eggs. You don't need to be feeding a medicated feed because you let them play in the dirt and they forage. Make your life easier and just feed everyone chick starter. Put out the oyster shells for the hen and she will eat what she needs. One more bag of chick feed than you should be able to switch everyone over to layer. If you feed 50% treats and scraps, you might want to stay with the higher protein chick feed and just let the additional Ca come from the oyster shells. You can not keep different age groups out of each other's feeders so you just have to go with one.

You've got a nice looking group.

 

[Going Quackers]

This is where all flock/multi purpose foods come into play and free choice oyster shell, this would be less complicated and simplify the feeding.

 

[KodiPie]

Thank you for the information. Yes one more bag of chick starter feed our local feed store carries purina
and the protein content is 18%. Think I will look for a higher protein feed or the flock/multipurpose.
Have a nice summer! Kodi
p.s. Thank you for the compliment of my flock Percheron!

 

[chickenkeeper12]

Is it bad if my layers have a little bit of medicated chick starter feed. When ever they all free range they always sneak into the chick house and eat a little food.

 

[KodiPie]

I just learned from our local feed store that medicated food stays in the liver of the hen and is
not transferred to any eggs. This information was from the PH D's of Purina. What so you think?

 

[Percheron chick]

I've heard both sides. If the gluten and soy in chicken feed ends up in the eggs, why wouldn't everything else they ingest? I'm going to take the advise from someone who is paid by the company with a grain of salt. I take more weight from independent studies. Bottom line is your chicks do not need to be eating medicated feed. The environment they are brooded in, your stocking rates, your management (cleanliness) and their ages are all in their favor against them developing cocci.

 

[upthecreek]

By a;ll means stop feeding starter or start/grow as soon as possible cause we don't want our birds maturing into beautiful healthy hens with great plumage and furthermore we don't want them living any longer than two years , they could be hanging around for up to 10-15 if fed with quality feeds .
We need them layed out in two years and then we can have their replacements ready .
The layer pellets will do the trick for anyone ......... and will produce more profit for feed man and hatchery .
If there was anyway to keep a chick alive on lay pellets then we would have a perfect world of profit for everyone ....... two year roll over gives the feedman and hatchery a win win situation , who cares if a chicken can live , produce and then die in two years to the happy amusement of all .
Of course we have those fanatics who think the sacred writings on the feed bags is holly scripture and will produce living wittnesses (lol) just like the rattlesnake preachers have a few people to survive .