what to do?

[grammy]

I have one chicken that is 5 months old and two chickens that are not quite 3 months old. I want to change the food I am feeding to my older one for laying. Can the younger chikens eat that as well? Thanks for any input.

 

[countrygirl4513]

Sure they can.

 

[2mnypets]

Really? I was under the impression that if you gave the younger ones the laying feed you could risk damaging their kidneys due to the protein in the layer feed. Good to know cause we are still buying chick starter and layer feed.

 

[countrygirl4513]

I've raised chickens all my life I've never had any trouble out of the feed. It is hard to keep the feed seperate if they free range like mine do. As a matter of fact I've got to get some layer feed today and all the chickens will be on it,.. laying or not.

 

[2mnypets]

It's always nice to learn new information. Poor hubby went out and bought two different containers and labeled them so the kids wouldn't get confused.

 

[silkiechicken]

At 3 months old they will be fine on layer. I think longer term problems that won't show up till the birds get old is if the baby chicks are raised from hatch on layer feed. The problem is excess calcium that can damage their kidneys.

 

[chickbea]

I switch to layer feed at about 18 weeks or so. Some folks wait until the first pullet lays the first egg.
12 weeks still seems a bit early to me, but I tend to err on the side of caution. When I have had multiple ages I feed the chick food until everyone is old enough, and just give the hens some treats on the sly.

 

[Gracefulspice]

I was conserned about this too. I have 2 hens that are laying and 5 pullets that are approx 15 weeks. I try to keep the food seperate, but I catch the pullets in the layer food and the hens in the grower food. I'll be out of grower food in about 3 weeks. I'm not buying anymore grower then. They will on be on layer. Much eaiser.

 

[blossom hen]

Last week when I bought feed, I asked the clerk at the feed store since I know she's raised chickens and all kinds of animals for years. My oldest chicks were 18 wks at that point and younger ones were 12 wks old. She said it wouldn't hurt to switch to the layer for all of them. Said that's what she feeds all the time and all chickens eat it no matter what age. (Said the only time she uses starter/grower feed is for chicks from incubator into brooder til they're old enough to put out with the bigger chickens-- at a month old!)

 

[silkiechicken]

One thing I do to keep the chicks out of the layer feed is to place the layer feed bucket high enough that the hens have to reach. That way the youngins can't get to it till they are about laying size. Of course though, the hens steal all the grower feed!