Should I start feeding layer feed yet?

odysseychicken

Chirping
Jul 21, 2015
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18
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Hello,

My four chickens (two Black Australorp's and two Buff Orpington's) are in their 18th week. I am trying to decide when to switch to layer feed. Some people say to wait until the first egg and some say (including the feed company) to start the layer around 16 weeks. Will it harm them much if I make the switch now and they don't start laying for another few weeks?

Here are some pictures of the girls. The one Australorp with the really red comb has always had a redder comb than the rest. I was worried that she would be a he. But the feathers on all the birds seem to indicate females. Fingers crossed.















 
Judging by the combs, 1 is just about ready to start laying any day now. 1 still needs a couple more weeks to mature. And 2 are still at least a month or more from laying.
Layer feed is only for actively laying birds, and if you choose to feed it, it should be the primary food source. It is not appropriate for hens that are not laying. Treats need to be limited to no more than 10% of their total food intake. If you free range or like giving lots of treats or scraps, then choose a grower feed instead of a layer feed for your flock and supplement with crushed oyster shell.
 
Layer feed will not hurt them a bit at this point. Finish out what ever bag of feed you are currently using, and then buy a bag of layer. Or you could keep them on the grower, put them on multi-flock and offer oyster shell on the side.
 
Layer feed will not hurt them a bit at this point. Finish out what ever bag of feed you are currently using, and then buy a bag of layer. Or you could keep them on the grower, put them on multi-flock and offer oyster shell on the side.

x2 this is what I did for mine you can put out oyster shell out free choice when they start laying incase you don't finish up that bag until after they start laying, then just continue it and then switch to layer.
 
I feed Starter/Grower or All Flock and offer oyster shell and sometimes hard boiled eggs smooshed up with the shells for the layers. I often have a mix of chicks and older birds with an occasional roo tossed in to keep things interesting and that way I don't have to try to feed them all separately and I'm not constantly switching one food for another. They can stay on what they like.
 

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