What should I feed a flock of mixed ages of chickens.

[sara1226]

Hi everyone, I have a small flock of 7, and some of them are 12 months old, 2 months old, and 4 months old. (I slowly introduced them all so luckily they get along). I've been mixing a little bit of starter food in with the layer feed because of the mixed ages. I've been seeing the 4 month olds laying in the egg boxes, and I didn't think much of it until I went out to clean the coop this morning, and one of the 4 month olds laid an egg from the roosting pole last night. It fell right out of her and crushed on the floor. From what I've read this is a bit young for chickens to lay eggs.

My question is.. Is it bad for my chickens health to have the young ones eating the layer feed? Vice versa is it bad for the 12 month olds to eat a little starter feed? I'm not sure what to do here, as they all eat out of the same food buckets. I don't know how I could feed them seperatly without having to seperate them and I don't really want to do that.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Sara

 

[junebuggena]

Layer feed is for actively laying hens. The extra calcium can be very harmful to growing/developing chicks. For a flock with mixed ages and roosters, the best choice is to feed a grower, flock raiser, or all flock type feed. Supplement the laying hens with crushed oyster shell for calcium, offered in a separate dish.
There is absolutely no harm in feeding an adult hen chick starter as long as you give them a source of calcium. The layer feed can do serious harm to young birds though.

 

[sara1226]

Layer feed is for actively laying hens. The extra calcium can be very harmful to growing/developing chicks. For a flock with mixed ages and roosters, the best choice is to feed a grower, flock raiser, or all flock type feed. Supplement the laying hens with crushed oyster shell for calcium, offered in a separate dish.
There is absolutely no harm in feeding an adult hen chick starter as long as you give them a source of calcium. The layer feed can do serious harm to young birds though.

Thanks so muh! I am new at this and still learning. I will go to the feed mill right away! One of the reasons I asked about starter feed being harmful to the older gals is because I have one who is a bit over weight (not by my doing, she was sold to me that way) and I was concerned starter feed might have a higher fat content. I would read the label of course, but it ripped off the bag and I can't find it.

 

[junebuggena]

Chick starter has a higher protein content. But it won't make a chicken fat. Treats, extras, and scratch grains and seed can make a chicken fat, though.

 

[sara1226]

I don't know how she got big. Sometimes I think maybe it's just that she's genetically a thick bird. Her whole body frame is different than my other silkie. Her neck is wider, etc. When I got her she also had poultry lice and let mites, she was a mess! After some TLC, and vitamins she is doing great.. I could quickly see her energy level increase and she seemed happier. She sometimes even chooses to slide down our chicken ramp rather than walk, it's hilarious! She's a character!

Anyways, I limit grains, and the only other thing I sometimes give them is squash, melon, raspberries, or yogurt. :cd

 

[junebuggena]

I don't know how she got big. Sometimes I think maybe it's just that she's genetically a thick bird. Her whole body frame is different than my other silkie. Her neck is wider, etc. When I got her she also had poultry lice and let mites, she was a mess! After some TLC, and vitamins she is doing great.. I could quickly see her energy level increase and she seemed happier. She sometimes even chooses to slide down our chicken ramp rather than walk, it's hilarious! She's a character!

Anyways, I limit grains, and the only other thing I sometimes give them is squash, melon, raspberries, or yogurt.

Hatchery quality Silkies can vary a lot in size and build.