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What age do you you change their food?

post #1 of 29
5/24/12 at 10:32am
Thread Starter 

Hello,

 

My six chicks are a month old now and doing great.  I was just wondering at what age do you make the transition from the starter/chick food to the adult food?  I'd appreciate any opinions or personal experiences.  Thanks. 

The Wise Man Looks For What Is Within,  The Fool For What Is Outside

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The Wise Man Looks For What Is Within,  The Fool For What Is Outside

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post #2 of 29
5/24/12 at 10:41am

Hello!  At age 17 weeks, I change them over to layer crumbles. That way, the extra calcium can get into their systems for those nice strong egg shells. 

Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

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Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

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post #3 of 29
5/24/12 at 10:44am

You will know when to change when the chickens look start to look like adult birds and are nearly as big as the adults.  

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post #4 of 29
5/24/12 at 11:19am

If you are raising a layer flock...then feed Chick Feed until they start laying then switch to a Layer Ration.

"Experince is the teacher of all things." Julius Ceaser

"The only real valuable thing is intuition." Albert Einstein

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" Mark Twain

 

My Coop Project

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/656727/coop-project-maken-the-plunge-getting-chickens

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"Experince is the teacher of all things." Julius Ceaser

"The only real valuable thing is intuition." Albert Einstein

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" Mark Twain

 

My Coop Project

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/656727/coop-project-maken-the-plunge-getting-chickens

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post #5 of 29
5/24/12 at 11:36am

You'll want to feed your Starter/Grower till you get the first egg then you can switch to the Layer type.

You don't want to switch them too soon because the extra Calcium that is in Layer Feed could do more harm than good in Non-Laying birds.

 

Chris 

 

NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

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NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

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post #6 of 29
5/24/12 at 1:56pm

Huh??    he.gif

 

Do NOT feed layer crumble until AFTER they start laying eggs?  Ughhhhh......I added in layer crumble a couple of weeks ago to the pullet developer I was feeding...they are 15-18 weeks old now.  Am I hurting them by doing this?  They are fairly large, not little babies at all..(see below).  Fred, my EE is small...but they all are eating the food, and they have pretty much destroyed my Dill and another large plant that tastes like celery too.

 

Could feeding them layer crumble too early cause crooked neck issues I wonder?  Louise just started that within the last 2 weeks......sigh

 

Lucy_DillBush.jpg

 

 

Thelma1.jpg

Still on the honeymoon with DH........mom to 2 rat terriers, 2 chihuahua's, 1 barred rock, 2 buff orpingtons, and 1 EE......and 1 14-year old!!  All smack dab in the middle of the city.

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Still on the honeymoon with DH........mom to 2 rat terriers, 2 chihuahua's, 1 barred rock, 2 buff orpingtons, and 1 EE......and 1 14-year old!!  All smack dab in the middle of the city.

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post #7 of 29
5/24/12 at 2:12pm

If a pullet is 16 weeks old, there isn't much chance of hurting her by early feeding of layer feed.  There likely wouldn't be time to do any damage.

 

There is no advantage to feeding high calcium layer feed early, however.  None I can think of.  

 

 

Practicing Sustainable Agriculture At The 45th Parallel

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Practicing Sustainable Agriculture At The 45th Parallel

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post #8 of 29
5/24/12 at 3:39pm

A hen only stores Calcium in her bones when she is laying so feeding extra Calcium at pre-laying age has no advantages even feeding a layer feed to a non-laying hen that is in molt or in a non-laying season (winter) can cause some damage to her kidneys. 

 

Chris

 

NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

Reply

 

NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

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post #9 of 29
5/24/12 at 6:58pm
ut oh for me, my 8 weekers are having a snack from the layer mash, the rooster eats it too
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post #10 of 29
5/24/12 at 7:08pm

What do you feed non-laying hens?  I mean adult hens...........prob a dumb ? but I didn't realize or think about the times they aren't laying!

Still on the honeymoon with DH........mom to 2 rat terriers, 2 chihuahua's, 1 barred rock, 2 buff orpingtons, and 1 EE......and 1 14-year old!!  All smack dab in the middle of the city.

Reply

Still on the honeymoon with DH........mom to 2 rat terriers, 2 chihuahua's, 1 barred rock, 2 buff orpingtons, and 1 EE......and 1 14-year old!!  All smack dab in the middle of the city.

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