What to feed mixed flock of layers and pullets?

[LuvMahChikies]

Hello all! I have a mixed flock of 6-8 month old layers and 4 month old, non-laying pullets. Should I still be feeding grower feed to the pullets? Can they eat the layer feed yet? Do I need to separate the feed and the chickens until the pullets are laying? OR do I feed everyone the grower feed and offer oyster shell to the layers?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You have different options. The one I use is to feed them all the same feed, Grower in my case, and offer oyster shell on the side. That way the ones that need the calcium for their shells normally eat it and the ones that don’t need it don’t eat enough to harm themselves.

Can four month olds eat Layer? I don’t know. There are plenty of studies that show feeding excess calcium to growing chicks can harm them internally. But I’m not aware of any studies that show when you can start feeding them the excess calcium. There are those on this forum that feel you should never feed Layer to any non-laying chicken, like roosters or pullets/hens not laying. Others regularly feed their adult flocks Layer even with roosters present. A normal recommendation is to start Layer at 18 weeks or when you see the first egg.

It’s not how much calcium is in one bite, it’s how much total volume of calcium they eat in a day, plus how many days in a row they eat that volume plays a part. If yours free range or forage for a good part of their food or you feed a boatload of treats they may not be getting that much total calcium even with Layer.

There is little consensus on this forum as to what the right answer is. Everyone has an opinion. My opinion is that if I feed Grower (or Starter if I have baby chicks) with oyster shell on the side then I am doing the best I can.

 

[AA Maple]

I'm in rather the same boat with meat birds and two batches of laying hens that are a few months apart in age. It seems that as soon as the meaties were big enough to let range and mingle with the layers whichever food I tried to give them they would always favor whatever the others were eating (the grass is always greener sort of thing). Same with fermented feed. If I give them dry only for a couple days they'll run to the fermented like it is a new delicacy..... and vice versa.

Instead of trying to figure out who will eat what when they're all wandering around together I offered fermented (layer), dry layer pellets, and dry starter/grower and just let them do what they like. Generally they all eat a variety and the only ones that get layer forced on them consistently are the 6 hens that are laying already who I keep locked up with only dry layer pellets until I feel they've given me a fair day's quota for eggs. Everyone seems to be healthy and the Cornish Cross's are delicious and dressing out from 5.5 to nearly 7 pounds at the 8-9 week mark.

 

[barneveldrerman]

I would feed then an 18% grower feed with oyster shells on the side. Your chciekns should be 6 months or older to feed layer food.



Hope this helped!

 

[DawnLee]

I would feed then an 18% grower feed with oyster shells on the side. Your chciekns should be 6 months or older to feed layer food.



Hope this helped!

Everything I have read said to feed layer feed at 18 to 20 weeks or when they start laying.