what to do?

[ange92040]

We have 3 laying hens (around 7mth old)that are fed laying feed and we have 4 pullets (about 9wks old) on starter/grower feed, right now they are separated by a fence but can see each other and have 3 little doors cut out in the fence big enough for the pullets but to small for the hens, so the pullets can check out the big girls and if they get picked on they can go though the door to get away. So far so good, they seem to be getting along when the pullets pop in for a visit.

Ok so my question is, if we are ready to take the fence down between them how do we keep the pullets from eating the big girls food and vise versa?

Taking down the fence will make the run bigger and be adding another coop so there will be plenty of room.

Thank you my very knowledgeable friends and Happy Mothers Day to all since our chickens are like our children to us.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Feed them all Starter/Grower and offer oyster shell on the side. The ones that need it for the egg shells will eat the oyster shell and the others won't eat enough to do any harm.

 

[Den in Penn]

If they are mixing there is no way to keep the younger ones from eating what the older ones eat. So use the unmedicated starter/grower, or just grower, or an all flock, for all. the 7 month olds will do fine on it. Provide a calcium supplement for the ones laying.

 

[ange92040]

If they are mixing there is no way to keep the younger ones from eating what the older ones eat. So use the unmedicated starter/grower, or just grower, or an all flock, for all. the 7 month olds will do fine on it. Provide a calcium supplement for the ones laying.

they aren't mixing yet just pop in and out and no where near the food.

Would hanging the big girl feed be ok?
What about the oyster shell I thought they couldn't have it till they were older. We have a divided dish with oyster shell on one side and grit on the other (it sits on the ground).

 

[Ridgerunner]

They won't eat enough of the oyster shell to harm themselves. This is the standard way to deal with the problem. Offer it separately.

I've had 2 weeks old fly up to the big girls feeders to eat their feed. You can't realistically keep them out.