New Additions

[jackhorn01]

I'm about a month into my first chickens and everything is going good so far. I am going to get more in a few months prolly and was wondering... Once the new ones are old enough for the coop, can I just throw them in there with the other already eating the layer feed or do they have to be kept seperate until they reach laying age? Should I offer them grower feed in the coop as well and just hope everyone gets some of what they need or what?

 

[aoxa]

I'm about a month into my first chickens and everything is going good so far. I am going to get more in a few months prolly and was wondering... Once the new ones are old enough for the coop, can I just throw them in there with the other already eating the layer feed or do they have to be kept seperate until they reach laying age? Should I offer them grower feed in the coop as well and just hope everyone gets some of what they need or what?

What will the age of the others be?

You don't necessarily have to feed layer. Feeding grower or game bird feed is also an option. With the latter you should provide oyster shell on the side for them. Any that are not laying, but are eating layer feed are in risk of developing kidney failure.

As for adding them with your existing flock, check this thread out: Merging Two Flocks

Congrats by the way! You will soon be the victim of chicken math!

 

[jackhorn01]

Thanks for the reply. I will look for ones that are outta the brooder if I can find em. I like to try to find them at the age where they no longer need the brooder, but aren't laying yet either. Although, eventually, I will have a brooder set up and raise them from chicks myself. So once I get some new additions, the layers would get everything they need from my starter/grower feed as long as I provide a calcium source ( oyster shell). I guess the new additions wouldn't eat the oyster shell until they need it is why you said to do it like this instead of leaving layer feed inside the coop? Also, I was gonna still offer oyster shell on the side even with the layer feed. ( I always try to take extra care of all my animals) Is it just uneccessary to give osyter shell if you feed a good layer feed? Or is it still a good thing to do?

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for the reply. I will look for ones that are outta the brooder if I can find em. I like to try to find them at the age where they no longer need the brooder, but aren't laying yet either. Although, eventually, I will have a brooder set up and raise them from chicks myself. So once I get some new additions, the layers would get everything they need from my starter/grower feed as long as I provide a calcium source ( oyster shell). I guess the new additions wouldn't eat the oyster shell until they need it is why you said to do it like this instead of leaving layer feed inside the coop? Also, I was gonna still offer oyster shell on the side even with the layer feed. ( I always try to take extra care of all my animals) Is it just uneccessary to give osyter shell if you feed a good layer feed? Or is it still a good thing to do?

The young ones won't eat the oyster shell unless they need it.

If you offer it on the side with layer, they won't eat as much. Nothing wrong with layer if all your birds are laying. If they are molting you should also switch to grower/game bird as the extra calcium isn't needed when they are not producing eggs. I have roosters, juvenile pullets, chicks, ducks, geese and turkeys all eating the same feed. Chicks are in a brooder until I take them off starter, and sometimes I take them off early if it is very warm outside (because starter is usually medicated and therefore more expensive, I don't like to feed my entire flock starter if I don't have to).

 

[jackhorn01]

Awesome, thanks for the replies and info.