Switching feed early?

[chickndays]

So I have nearly 15 week chicks and 2 yr hens in a flock together (no integration problems so far! ) and there is both layer feed for the hens and starter crumbles for the chicks. They all seem to prefer the crumbles and the bag is nearly gone so can I just leave the layer pellets out for all of them so I don't need to spend $$ on more separate feed?
The chicks are still filling out but they're about the same height as the hens now.
For reference hens are Dominique and chicks are Australorp, Wyandotte and RIR.

 

[Kiki]

Yes.

 

[Brooks_]

You could just feed them all starter and add oyster shell for the layers.

 

[FrostRanger]

Feeding birds that live together separately is a hopeless endevor. I'd feed everyone either the chick starter or an all flock feed. Just make sure to have oyster shell on the side for the layers

 

[saysfaa]

The Australorps and RIRs are close enough to laying for layer feed to not be a problem. Unless the RIR's are exhibition lines instead of production lines, maybe, - don't some of those lines start laying much later than the production lines?

Some breeds take much longer to mature and can be damaged by too much calcium for several months. One bag or part of a bag won't hurt them at this point.

 

[Loving my girls]

This has always been my concern and I hope that Chickndays won’t mind me voicing my worries too.
When I get new babies they tend to be about 16 weeks they have a little child’s playhouse in a little enclosure next to the big girls pouallier. They stay there for about two weeks eating baby food. Then I release them into the flock of about 8 hens.
But it’s impossible to separate them from the rest of the flock to continue feeding them the baby food so they tend to join in with the big girlz food.
Is this ok or should I keep them separate until they are older ?

 

[FrostRanger]

This has always been my concern and I hope that Chickndays won’t mind me voicing my worries too.
When I get new babies they tend to be about 16 weeks they have a little child’s playhouse in a little enclosure next to the big girls pouallier. They stay there for about two weeks eating baby food. Then I release them into the flock of about 8 hens.
But it’s impossible to separate them from the rest of the flock to continue feeding them the baby food so they tend to join in with the big girlz food.
Is this ok or should I keep them separate until they are older ?

Just feed everyone either chick feed or all flock and provide oyster shell on the side for the big girls. If anything the extra protein will be good for them

 

[SourRoses]

If they don't lay pretty soon after switching they can get too much calcium - not good.
But the other concern is the decrease in protein. Almost all layer feeds contain 16% protein, which isn't enough for growing birds, or birds growing out feathers.
That can mean a delay in their speed of maturation, and the point at which you do get eggs. It can also mean a terrible final set of feathers.

I see my neighbors flocks, and their terrible feathers, and I have to bite my tongue not to lecture people irl about chicken feed. They see our shiny birds and think it's all about the breeds, which certainly does help, but they all look nice because we always feed a 20% protein feed. Juveniles make 5 sets of feathers before they're fully grown, and their final set is the most demanding in terms of resources.

 

[Loving my girls]

What if I mix them ? I only buy 10kg sacks of grown up and I can only get 10kg sacks of baby food. After two weeks 2 16 week babies haven’t eaten much.
What about the babies eating layers pellets ? Do you think this is ok ?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I join the others in recommending you stick with one food, an "all flock" type with free choice oyster shell or similar as a calcium source for all your birds, all the time.

No, one bag isn't likely to hurt - and even if it does, one bag won't hurt in ways you will ever see or be able to measure. Its a missed opportunity to have a better flock, that's all.

If it is your routine, habit, or expectation that you will have a mixed flock - mixed breeds, mixed genders, mixed ages or any combination thereof, and you lack the space to house and feed them seperately, than "All Flock" all the time, for all the birds is the most practical feed method, and it has some other benefits besides.

If, at some point, you have a flock of entirely adult hens from production lines with similar rates of lay, and you need to save a little money, then yes, using a "layer" formulation works well - its what that feed was designed for.