what age for laying pellet feed??

Yes, wait for them to start laying, DEFINITELY.  The calcium in layer pellets can cause irreversible kidney damage and kill chicks before they're ready for it.  I think 20 weeks? is what Storey's recommends for starting layer pellets.  Two feeders and two enclosures is a pain, for sure, but it's better than sick or dead birds!

You should start layer rations at 20 weeks, but they may not be laying eggs yet. Depends on what breed you have some start laying earilier than others.

yeah. i started mine on layer around 20 weeks.

Yup, 20 weeks. Does anyone else feed grower pellets/crumbles until they are that old? I start w/ chick starter, then grower crumbles, then grower pellets and then layer pellets. I mix in cracked corn, too, (1/2 and 1/2) w/ the grower and the layer pellets. I know cracked corn supposedly makes them fat, but I also live in a very cold climate, and they free-range, so they can use the extra carbs.

Edit: I guess it's grower mash, not crumbles. FYI

i did the starter, then the grower, then the layer.

and my girls get plenty of cracked corn.
they absolutely love it- and i love the darker yolks.

How old do they need to be to get cracked corn and scratch, just out of curiosity?  Mine are 10 days old so I'm betting they're a little young...

Good question, iopele, I don't know. @ I don't add corn until about 8 weeks, when I start the grower. Maybe you can give it to them earlier, but it is kinda hard, so I don't know.

Edit: hey I did find this , though. http://www.geocities.com/KelliAnn293/feedingDetails.htm This says about 6-8 wks. Pretty interesting site, too. My daughter is at Grammies today, I really should be cleaning the house or something, but this is far more interesting.

Hey, in my book, playing around online--er, I mean, doing serious research on the 'net, yes, that's it--trumps cleaning house every time.