Pullet questions

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AustralorpsAU said:
Yep they are definitely old enough to go outside, should be laying soon, change the food to layers when they are all laying and add oyster shell when the first one lays. Hope this helps
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Ok i dont wont to sound silly but just want to make sure I understood.

I need to add oyster shell to the daily feed routine since I will having eggs soon. But I need to wait and feed layer feed when they are all laying?

I think a few may be late to lay. Will that affect the ones that start laying by not feeding layer feed to them? Adding oyster shell I will do. What else would you suggest for the health of the layers so they have what they need.

Thanks for the advice
 
Bennett Farms said:
Well I have all my ladys and gent. Well all for now.
I have 2 Doms, 2 Buffs, 1 EE, 1 OE, 1 Marans. 1 Australorp, and a Silver Phoenix Roo. Diverse lil flock They are around 4-6 months old. Well the rooster is a lil older.

I noticed the rooster has been able to play with the australorp. If she starts laying do I need to add layer feed to the food? I feed crumbled flick food since they arent laying. What changes do I need to make to the feeding regimen to prepare for egg production?
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Since you have a rooster in the flock, you should not switch to a laying feed. It can damage rooster's kidneys. You should keep them on the flock grower and supplement with oyster shell for calcium. There is no special ingredient in layer feed that makes them lay, it just has a higher calcium content - something that be achieved just as easily by offering oyster shell without posing a risk to the cockerel.
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens! You have gotten great advice and links already, so I will just say hello and good luck!!

Queen Misha, I did not know that layer feed damages a roosters kidneys. I learn something new every time I see your posts!
 
CuzChickens said:
Welcome to Backyard chickens! You have gotten great advice and links already, so I will just say hello and good luck!!

Queen Misha, I did not know that layer feed damages a roosters kidneys. I learn something new every time I see your posts!
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It's sadly little known knowledge. I only learned it in the past year I think. I've misplaced the study, but there's a very good one which found that in a flock of cocks fed a layer ration (4-5% calcium), about 70% had bilateral englargement of the kidneys (they grew to make up for damage) and 8% had potentially life threatening kidney stones. It's not as if it's likely to kill or sicken them immediately, but there's a good chance that, like any substance at high and potentially toxic levels, it will affect their long term health and overall lifespan.
 

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