Separating the meat birds from layers......

[Yukonchick]

I got a major dilemma that I've been fightin in my head. I've only got one chicken house and I'm wondering if I have to really change the feed between my layers and meat hens. Can i feed my meat birds the same feed as the layers.? Or do they absolutly have to be fed the grower. can i feed laying chicks grower? They will be going outside for the first time this Wed to forage around in their run.

 

[Judy]

I feed my layers grower or flock raiser when there are young chicks in the flock. I just put oyster shell out in a separate dish. But then I've never raised meat birds and don't know whether this would be the same feed.

 

[Yukonchick]

Well apparently my layers can stay on chick starter for 42 days but my meat birds are supposed to go to grower at a month old which is this week. both breeds are the same age but my meat birds have become alot bigger than the little Sussex layers. I'm thinking I'll just put them all on grower in another 10 days or so and add oyster shell on the side.

 

[Yukonchick]

I was also wondering if you can feed chickens mixed wild bird seed. I've got a bag left over from all the winter birds that were here and gone now.

 

[KeilFamilyFarm]

I feed my chickens (Meat and Layers) Fermented Chick Starter with Oats, Wheat, Barley and Corn.

The laying breeds dont need layer food until they are actually laying eggs and then you would also need to supply them with Oyster Shell.
Meat birds are fine to stay on Starter

 

[Yukonchick]

Thats great to know, but I still gotta supvise feeding time due to the feeding frenzy that happens. I have to make sure the big ones don't hurt the little layers.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I don't think meat bird crumbles would hurt the laying hens. It's only for 8 weeks. The issue is that the higher protein feed costs more, so you would be paying more for feed than your laying chicks needed.

You can't do it the other way around. If you feed lower protein feed to your meat chicks, they won't grow well.

Another problem is that the meat birds are big and clumsy. I would worry that the smaller layer chicks would be injured.

 

[Life is Good!]

Check the protein percentage on the package. I've fed our Black Java (layer) chicks the "meat broiler" feed since about week 4. Why? Because they grow faster. The feed percentage of protein is comparable - 18% for 'meat' vs. 16% for 'grower'. To me, 2% isn't that huge of a difference.

The other thing I've done for our chicks is to have 2 (actually 3) feeders on opposite ends of the coop. I'll fill one feeder 1/2 way (the bigger ones run to it and start impersonating pigs), then go and fill the second feeder fully (the slower ones get this feed). Then, I go and 'top off' the first feeder, so those birds 'think' they're getting more feed. Nope, just a head game I play with them.

Having extra feeders means that everyone gets enough and there's no fighting over places at the feeder.

Menards sells 10' long plastic gutters and end-caps. Get yourself one of those and some 2x6 wood scrap pieces for legs - this has been the best for us, as it's cheap, easy to clean and durable. I cut the plastic gutter into two sections (so 4 endcaps needed) with a regular handsaw, cut out grooves in the 2x6's so the gutter would sit down into the wood, screwed through the gutter into the 2x6 so it's stable and holds together. Quick, easy, inexpensive!