Two week old chicks and laying hens. How do I feed all of them?

[Georgetownchick]

I had a hen that hatched 18 babies two weeks ago yesterday. She integrated the babies in with the older hens and one rooster just a few days later and everyone is getting a long fine. She is a very good and protective mama. The babies are getting medicated chick feed and my hens are on a laying feed. However, the big girls seem to really like the little chick food and keep gobbling it up. And yesterday I caught the babies eating the layer feed. The feeder is hung up but the silly things were flying up there and eating it. Should I switch everyone to the medicated chick feed? Is the medicated feed bad for my older hens? They free range a lot of the day as well and eat bugs and plants. Even the little ones are free ranging with their mother. My coop is open all day and they go back and forth and then they are all locked up at night.

Thanks!

 

[KuroKitsune]

putting all your birds on chick starter with oyster shell free choice for you layers till the chicks are of laying age will work just fine

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I would also go with unmedicated feed, along with the suggestion above, I don't know that you can/should eat the eggs from a chicken on medicated feed.

 

[FoggyMountain]

We just had to do this as well. We are feeding all chickens unmedicated starter/grower and offering oyster shell. Although the hens had never experienced this change.. they started eating the oyster shell free choice like they had been doing it all along. Working well for us!