roos, layers and pullets -- feeding time

[mistylady]

How do you deal with feeding a variety of chickens? I'm talking about full grown layers producing eggs, 9 week old pullets and 9 week old roos. The hens are eating layer crumbles and the youngsters are eating chick food. I'll be keeping the babies in cages in the coop for a while so they can eat thier food but after they get used to seeing each other I'd like to let the babies go out and walk around in the coop (the hen food is in the coop) and get used to the coop. Does anyone have different ages eating the same thing? Also can the roos eat layer feed? Thanks for any help.

 

[Wynette]

Young ones should not have layer pellets before 18 weeks. Do you have a way to split your chicken run?

As far as cockerels/roos and pullets/hens, my coop is raised off the ground, leaving about 2' from the bottom of the coop to the ground; I put a dog food dish of higher protein flock raiser crumbles under there, as well as free-choice layer pellets. This is working out fabulously!