When is too young for layer pellets?

[jkl79]

Thanks you all for the input! It sounds like the best thing to do is to continue and feed chick feed to all of the chickens until the youngest are 18 wks of age. Even though the others will be laying, they can still eat the starter feed as long as they also have free choice oyster shells? Is that correct?

 

[Kimbroe1981]

so what do i feed my chickens if i have some that are laying and some that are 10 weeks old? they're all living together with no problems, but what do i feed them?

 

[kingsfarm]

am in the same spot as you....many new chicks mixed with the flock, 11 new ones and another batch to come...the chicks come out in the yard (through a spot in the fence around the big covered coop) any way before feeding rest of flock I through out chick feed to the babies and they eat first....continue doing am work then let the rest out to feed and free range, mamas take babies with them for the rest of the time teaching them to scratch for food....I was throughing out laying pellets but will change to flock raiser for the adults until the chicks are old enough.....sounds like the only solution for me...what do you think

 

[Kimbroe1981]

kingsfarm - do you have 2 different kinds of feed?

 

[Zaxby's2]

so what do i feed my chickens if i have some that are laying and some that are 10 weeks old? they're all living together with no problems, but what do i feed them?

Feed them grower feed with oyster grit on the side. That way your pullets can get what they need and your layers can get what they need. If someone has young chicks in there too you can give them starter/grower feed with oyster grit, and that way everyone's happy.

 

[kingsfarm]

Kimbroe, am in the process of changing to flock raiser because of the different ages and sizes of my flock...Too many chicks have entered and getting harder...will continue to give the chicks, chick starter before mom takes them out to free range...so wonderful to see the 11 babies out in the yard just scratching around looking for eats ------The older chicks 3 (7 wk,. olds) 10 ( teen agers) I call them and 4 of the oldest pullets all mixed in with the laying hens...chickens are amazing and wonderful, have such great personalities-- get along great, no trouble integrating...I let nature take care of itself with them, they know about chickens more than I do...Ha....Have only been doing this for a couple of years so am learning also.... each one is different.. Kimbroe, I would feed them flock raiser until the little ones are ready to lay... That seems to be the advice given on this thread..