Should I give my squatting hens layer pellets?

[Zarhya]

Hello, I have a flock of 3 hens, one silkie and two Brahma hens. My silkie is my oldest, she's been laying for 4 months now. My other 2 Brahma hens haven't started laying but they have been squatting for a month now. I'm running out of their grower feed and I'm looking into buying them layer pellets or crumbles. Would it be safe for them to transition to layer pellets/crumbles?

 

[Saveria]

How many weeks old are the brahmas?

 

[Zarhya]

How many weeks old are the brahmas?

Sorry for the late reply, they are 19 weeks old.

 

[EddieSalita]

You could do that, or you could keep feeding pullet crumbles and give them some shell grit on the side. Imo it's always good form to give additional shell grit on the side anyway.
That way you can get the layer feed when they actually start laying. Not having to concern yourself with potential exess calcium issues. They should have good calcium levels for the first few eggs anyway. It's not like a new bag of pullet feed will go to waste. You just mix it in with their layer feed and they will add enough calcium from the grit on their own as they see fit.
Some hens can lay pretty late. My australorps varied from 19-26 weeks. You can never be sure until you get that first egg.

 

[Saveria]

I would be fine to feed them layer at 19 weeks. I know brahmas lay late, but they must be close. I also second what Eddie said, though. That is a great route to take as well, and I have found almost all hens need some oyster shell on the side, too.