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.

 

[devora]

Do you mean you want to switch from grower to layer for the oler ones? Have they begun to lay?

 

[grammy]

Yes. Do I need to wait for her to lay an egg first? I thought around a certain age you change the food. Will it harm my younger chicks? Thanks

 

[BeckyLa]

I would wait another month or so for the younger ones to get a bit older. Layer has too much calcium for them at this stage. Grower will be just fine for your laying hens, just offer them free choice oyster shell for the calcium. Your younger ones won't eat it, birds only eat it when they need it.

 

[hinkjc]

Agree, I would wait for the first egg. No need to change it until then. If the others are closer to 5 months by then, then change it. If not, then offer free choice oyster shell for your layer hen and keep them all on grower or flockraiser. That would work until they're all laying, then switch them all to layer.

Jody