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[Chickendad2022]

Quick question that I see has been somewhat answered prior. Can I feed lay mash to my meat birds? Will it harm them in any way? I see it isn't "prime feed for protein and growth" just want to make sure they will still be ok if I feed them lay mash.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!
The 'lay' part of a feed name usually means that the food is for a laying hen.

How old are your meat birds?
Layer type feed usually too much calcium for young birds but...meat birds aren't meant to live more than a few weeks so...
It depends.

Do you have other options when it comes to buying the feed?

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

Hi! Welcome to BYC!

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

Quick question that I see has been somewhat answered prior. Can I feed lay mash to my meat birds? Will it harm them in any way? I see it isn't "prime feed for protein and growth" just want to make sure they will still be ok if I feed them lay mash.

Sorry, not good with meat birds.

 

[Chickendad2022]

Welcome to BYC!
The 'lay' part of a feed name usually means that the food is for a laying hen.

How old are your meat birds?
Layer type feed usually too much calcium for young birds but...meat birds aren't meant to live more than a few weeks so...
It depends.

Do you have other options when it comes to buying the feed?

They are 4 weeks old, usually we only keep them 8 however we were thinking of going longer this time and mixing the feed will lessen the cost. Just wanted to make sure I won't be hurting them by feeding them something usually used for lay hens.

 

[Kiki]

They are 4 weeks old, usually we only keep them 8 however we were thinking of going longer this time and mixing the feed will lessen the cost. Just wanted to make sure I won't be hurting them by feeding them something usually used for lay hens.

You could potentially be hurting them but You're going to butcher them soon after 8 weeks so you probably won't be hurting them much.

 

[LapisLazuli]

 

[Kiki]

You could potentially be hurting them but You're going to butcher them soon after 8 weeks so you probably won't be hurting them much.

If I didn't have the option then I would use the layer feed but if I was only trying to save a dollar or two I would just buy the correct feed.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

 

[Isadora]

Hello, and welcome!
What kind of meat birds do you have? Cornish cross?
They will do best on feed that's meant for them, as far as growing to the proportions you want before butchering.
If Layer was my only option I would feed it to them and they would be fine since you're going to butcher them in about a month but how much of a cost difference are we talking?