When is it time to switch to layer feed?

[Springchild]

Our girls are 13 weeks and 8 weeks. Still on chick feed. All of our breeds say they start laying between 18-22 weeks. They are starting to practice the egg song. Lol I'm not sure when to give layer feed. How will I get them to eat their own food when they are all in the same pen now?

 

[cackleberrycam]

I suggest starting to give them layer feed at 16 weeks.

 

[Springchild]

Thank you!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since Layer is for laying birds, there is no reason to feed it until they are laying.

 

[cackleberrycam]

Thank you!

No problem!

 

[cackleberrycam]

Since Layer is for laying birds, there is no reason to feed it until they are laying.

I agree.

 

[MamaChicken4]

You can give them "grower/finisher" food right now. And then "layer" at about 18+ or as soon as you start getting eggs. Mine are finishing their last bag of the grower feed and then I start layer.

 

[Going Quackers]

Since Layer is for laying birds, there is no reason to feed it until they are laying.

Agree and i'll up this and say you don't ever have too. I don't feed layer, just grower with oyster shell. Too much age variances here.

 

[cackleberrycam]

Agree and i'll up this and say you don't ever have too. I don't feed layer, just grower with oyster shell. Too much age variances here.
The only problem with that is that grower will make the your hen's eggs poisonous and unfit to eat.

 

[MeepBeep]

The only problem with that is that grower will make the your hen's eggs poisonous and unfit to eat.

Better said, it might or it might not...

Many will agree that added hormones and medications should not be used in our food supply but, on the other side there are many that claim it's far the horror story the anti's claim... There simply isn't enough scientific data and large scale long term studies to prove definitively either way...

Me personally, I believe it's best to avoid hormones and medications in the food supply, and thus for laying birds I would go with an unmediated and no hormone feed... But, I would never go as far as saying that the amount in grower feeds creates a poisonous or unfit to eat egg at the end of the day when all things are considered...