What to feed ten-week-olds and five-month-olds in mixed flock?

[cyberwuzzle]

I have five ten-week old chickens I'm getting ready to integrate with three five-month old pullets. The five-month-olds are on layer pellets and the ten-week-olds are still on starter/grower crumble. What do I feed when all of them are together? Will it hurt the ten-week-olds to eat layer pellets? Do I offer both? Or is there is a food I'm missing that will serve for both groups?

Thanks for any feedback

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You could put them all on grower and save the layer feed until they start laying. Or, if they're already laying egg, use the grower and offer oyster shell or crushed eggshells on the side. Then switch back to the layer when the younger group are close to laying

 

[Kelsie2290]

Grower/Starter won't hurt the layers, just offer oyster shell on the side. You do not want to feed layer feed to chicks because of the excess calcium. Most people that have a mixed age flock seem to feed some sort of "Flock Raiser" or all-ages type food, they are usually about 18% protein, and have shell on the side for the layers.

 

[donrae]

Yep, give everyone the grower and offer your birds either their shells back and/or oyster shell. The babies will taste the shells but not really eat them. This was everyone eats the same feed and the babies' systems don't get too much calcium.