Do pullets start eating oyster shell when getting close to POL?

[Whigru]

Hi all!
I’ve looked around the site a bit and couldn’t find a post exactly like mine so am posting my question here - apologies if there is a place to find this answer somewhere!
I have a flock of four - two are closing in on 18wks (RIR and Columbian Wyandotte), two are close to 9 weeks. I have them all on chick feed and will be switching to all flock when I get low on the chick feed. Anyway, I put a small container of oyster shell in the run a week or so ago, and also put it high enough that the little girls couldn’t reach but the big ones could. I figured it may be a week or two early but since the RIR and CW are getting somewhat close to POL i hoped it was ok. I checked this morning and they have been taking the oyster shell because it was close to empty. Does that mean they are getting closer to laying and are regulating as needed, or is it a potential problem with nutrition? Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

POL pullets start to pack calcium into their medullary bones as they get close so when Ca is needed to build egg shells, it will already be available in the blood stream.

To know if they are about to lay, you need to check the space between the pointy pelvic bones. More than two finger width = laying is imminent, less and laying isn't.

 

[Whigru]

POL pullets start to pack calcium into their medullary bones as they get close so when Ca is needed to build egg shells, it will already be available in the blood stream.

To know if they are about to lay, you need to check the space between the pointy pelvic bones. More than two finger width = laying is imminent, less and laying isn't.

Got it, thank you! I did try the pelvic bone thing just today but it was my first time so I will need to do it again now that I have a better idea what I’m feeling for. My RIR looks to be the one that is closer to POL because her comb and wattles are red, she’s a bit more squatty, and her vent looked a bit more open than it has in the past (and compared to my CW). Her pelvic bones felt wider than my CW’s as well, though likely not 2 fingers yet. But I’ll wrangle her and check again! Thanks!

 

[corriemartin]

How in the world does one catch a chicken to do all this checking? (My chickens are really friendly, but I never did much picking them up.). All of mine are probably a couple weeks out. Should I start offering oyster shells, free-choice, now?

 

[My2butterflies]

How interesting. I didn’t know there was a way to see if they are close to laying. I might have to check mine. They are about 15wks old but no eggs yet. I figured we were still a couple months away from any eggs.
These are my fist chickens so I haven’t given calcium yet. But I have guineas and didn’t offer calcium to my hens till they laid a soft egg. Now they have it available if they want it. Now that it’s summer they don’t eat much of it. But they ate a lot over winter.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How in the world does one catch a chicken to do all this checking? (My chickens are really friendly, but I never did much picking them up.). All of mine are probably a couple weeks out. Should I start offering oyster shells, free-choice, now?

Certainly not at a couple weeks of age. They won't need OS till they're close to 20 weeks old, if then.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How in the world does one catch a chicken to do all this checking? (My chickens are really friendly, but I never did much picking them up.). All of mine are probably a couple weeks out. Should I start offering oyster shells, free-choice, now?

My chickens are wild but at dusk when they go to roost, they are easy to pluck off the roost.
Trying to catch wild chickens in the farmyard is worse than herding cats. Once you start chasing, the rest will avoid you like the plague.

 

[corriemartin]

Certainly not at a couple weeks of age. They won't need OS till they're close to 20 weeks old, if then.

By a "couple weeks out" I meant, a couple weeks away from laying age. We got them at the very beginning of March.... (Here's a picture of them. Some of the pullet

s are developing nice red combs and wattles.)

 

[corriemartin]

My chickens are wild but at dusk when they go to roost, they are easy to pluck off the roost.
Trying to catch wild chickens in the farmyard is worse than herding cats. Once you start chasing, the rest will avoid you like the plague.

I'll try the after-dark thing. Or maybe just wait and see when they do it. When does one start offering them free choice oyster shells???

 

[Whigru]

I'll try the after-dark thing. Or maybe just wait and see when they do it. When does one start offering them free choice oyster shells???

It sounds like opinions vary? I offered it a week or so ago (16-17 weeks) since my birds are still on chick feed. I figured the older ones would take it if they needed it, and put it out of reach from the younger ones. I’m not sure if that is the correct assumption, but since I am not switching to layer feed, I thought it better sooner than later.