How do you feed chicks and 4 year old hens at the same time?

[Sooner Magnolia]

@U_Stormcrow, would you agree that she should put the babies on medicated chick starter for the first couple of weeks. I know there are differing opinions, but I think it is the safer choice as they get out on dirt and need protection while getting their immune systems going.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I put everyone on starter/grower feed until the little ones are laying.
I provide oyster shells as a free choice to help the ones that are already laying eggs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow, would you agree that she should put the babies on medicated chick starter for the first couple of weeks. I know there are differing opinions, but I think it is the safer choice as they get out on dirt and need protection while getting their immune systems going.

It depends ENTIRELY on personal preferences, tolerance for loss, available feeds, and management methods.

I hatch my own. Mutts from hatchery stock. Maintain a moderate flock size. I could lose a bird. or six. Wouldn't bother me any. Maybe I'd cull a few less over a couple weeks, and my flock would be right sized again. So there's no cost to me. I also have "virgin" ground and a closed flock, there's little opportunity for new parasites, germs, etc to get into the environment (beyond what the wild birds may bring). My closest neighbors with chickens are at least 1/4 mile away, with a lot of intervening vegetation and a hill.

Given the choice, I wouldn't feed medicated at all. Because my situation is both low risk, and low cost in the event of a problem.

However, the only fresh, reasonably priced feed around me is... medicated. ALL of it. Even the 24% protein stuff I mix in to increase the average protein value of the feed - its medicated (and intended as a game bird grower). I'm in Southern chicken country. Amprolium is added as a matter of course. I also feed my birds at a cost of just $0.228 per pound. So, I take what I can get. The mill has other products, closer to what I want, but no one stocks them, and when they do, they are more expensive and less fresh.

I'm looking at using a differing mill, where I believe I'll be able to get non medicated feed - but my price may jump to over $0.45/lb, which isn't sustainable. Its not worth that price premium to get non medicated to me, and I don't put any particular value on non-GMO either - because my buyers don't.

OTOH, if I had rare birds of high value, and either grounds that had previously had a coccidia outbreak, or close neighbors keeping chickens of uncertain practices, or had high contact with other flocks, then I would insist on medicated feed, at least initially. To protect my investments.

Its all risk management.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Yeah, the only way to really make that work is to separate coops/runs. We have some young pullets that are still on starter feed. When they mix with the adults to free-range late in the day, we have to pick the pullets' food up, or the hens will eat ALL of it...