What to feed a mixed age flock?

[YarnAndChickens]

I'm fairly new to chickens and so far I've just had them on grower feed as none were laying. I now have 2 laying birds, 8 almost laying birds and 3 roosters.

What feed should they be getting? If they need different feeds for different birds, how do I accomplish that?

I've heard layer feed isn't good for roosters but they all live and eat together so not sure how I could prevent the roos from eating the layer feed.

 

[Sussex19]

What I (and many others, I think) do is feed a lower calcium, higher protein feed like all flock, flock raiser, pullet grower, or even chick starter (although that would get a bit expensive) and then give free choice shell grit on the side for the layers. They will take as much as they need, and the roosters or hens not laying will ignore it (most of the time any way, it doesn't matter if they decide they want a bit of it too)

 

[NatJ]

What I (and many others, I think) do is feed a lower calcium, higher protein feed like all flock, flock raiser, pullet grower, or even chick starter (although that would get a bit expensive) and then give free choice shell grit on the side for the layers. They will take as much as they need, and the roosters or hens not laying will ignore it (most of the time any way, it doesn't matter if they decide they want a bit of it too)

"Shell grit" and "oyster shell" are pretty much the same thing, just different names in different countries. (I don't know where OP lives.)

I agree with the recommendation about feed. Where I live in the USA, chick starter is often the same price as All Flock or Flock Raiser, so I would suggest that anyone check prices in their own area before making a final decision. Nutritionally, chick starter is just as good as the other options named, so it just comes down to what is available and how much it costs.

 

[Perris]

or you could make your own and then each bird will be able to select what it needs, adjusting daily to suit their own particular metabolism.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

 

[EddieSalita]

You feed the flock based on the youngest members. Then you add free choice items to make up shortfalls the adults may encounter. Like shell grit for calcium.
Considering you have roos..... you might want to avoid layer feed in the long run also.

 

[Brooks_]

Nutritionally, chick starter is just as good as the other options named, so it just comes down to what is available and how much it costs.

Adding that what is usually freshest should be considered as a factor.

 

[Goatlover09]

You can feed an all flock food or layer feed. I feed layer feed in my flock with roosters

 

[PoppasGrill]

I found a locally sourced layer feed 17% crumbles and pellets that is 10$ cheaper than TSC/ Dumar feed without the added calcium .
I mix with scratch grains and fermented , our Ladies, mostly love it . Our Cemani don’t care for it fermented , so we keep a bucket of dry for them and the other picky girls.

We keep a tray of oyster shell on the side for those that want it, and a bucket of 30% for the turkeys.

We do mix in 3-5 lbs of mealworms per 150 lbs of feed , only ferment 2-3lbs in separate buckets at a time, which covers 2 feedings.
We have 75 hens, including pullets, and 14 roosters.