when to switch food

[birdface]

I have 4 chickens, 3 of them are just about ready to switch from starter to layer( or whatever is next...im drawing a blank). The other isnt quite ready yet. Should i continue to feed them all starter until the youngest is ready to switch or can i switch and everyone will be fine.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You've kind of asked a dangerous question by being so vague and not mentioning how old they are or what you would actually feed next. Thge normal progression of feed is

From hatch until 4 to 8 weeks old - feed Starter

from when you stop Starter until you switch to Layer - feed Grower

When you get your first egg or they turn 20 weeks - Switch to layer.

It really does not matter if you switch from Starter to Grower at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, somewhere in between, or even a little later. Whenever you run out of Starter, switch to Grower.

Do not start Layer until they all are old enough. Layer contains extra calcium that can harm a growing chick.

There are a lot of other options. Instead of Starter then Grower you can sometimes buy a combined Starter/Grower and just feed that.

You can feed Flock Raiser fromthe time they are hatched until you switch to Layer.

You can feed Grower or Flock Raiser and never switch to Layer. Just offer Oyster Shell on the side so they can get the extra calcium they need from that.

This may sound complicated but it really isn't. About anything will work as long as you don't feed Layer to chiciks that are still growing. That's where the danger comes in.

 

[birdface]

Sorry,
The older ones are about 4months+ the younger is 2 months+

They are all on grower right now. and then switch to layer. Can i keep them all on grower until they are all laying even after the older ones start laying, since it would be hard to keep 2 different kinds of food seperate.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That helps, thanks. I just don't want to give you bad advice.

Just keep feeding grower until they are all ready for Layer. Just offer oyster shell on the side, not mixed with their food. The ones that need it for the egg shells will eat it and the rest should pretty much leave the oyster shell alone. That's the way I do it.

 

[DOnSoCalOC]

Quote:
Thank you very much for this information. I was going to post a similar question, as some of mine are 13 weeks and some are 12 weeks. I am about to run out of Grower and had purchsed 100# of Layer at a good price. I thought the Grower would last, but it looks like I need to grab a small bag of Grower somewhere. Only thing is that my peeps are on Organic Soy-Free Starter/Grower and it only came in a 50# bag.

Mad search tonight and tomorrow morning before we run out!