When do I switch to layer feed?

[Atchurch]

I'm back!! Lol.

My babies hatched on March 1st so they're a little over 10 weeks old now. I have one rooster and 6 hens. When should I start getting them off their starter crumbles and start incorporating layer food? And I'm assuming the layer feed is fine for my boy, too. Correct?

Also, what's a great one to feed them? We have a few local seed & feed stores (not TSC) around us, so I can find something local and natural, I'm sure.

Thanks again and again!

 

[Sally PB]

Forget the layer feed. Get something called "all flock." (Or "flock maker," or "flock raiser.") You want something in the 20% protein range. Put out a dish of oyster shell and/or crushed eggshell on the side.

Layer feed is the lowest percentage protein that commercial flocks have found that will keep hens laying. If they could go lower, they would; at their scale, pennies per pound matter, and protein is expensive. Layer feed has calcium in it, more than you want to feed your rooster. It can cause kidney damage long term.

As for when... your chickens might start laying in 6-8 weeks. You could finish whatever chick feed you have before you switch. When you do switch, start mixing in the new feed a bit at a time, so that it's not a total ending of one and starting of another type of feed.

 

[Atchurch]

Forget the layer feed. Get something called "all flock." (Or "flock maker," or "flock raiser.") You want something in the 20% protein range. Put out a dish of oyster shell and/or crushed eggshell on the side.

Layer feed is the lowest percentage protein that commercial flocks have found that will keep hens laying. If they could go lower, they would; at their scale, pennies per pound matter, and protein is expensive. Layer feed has calcium in it, more than you want to feed your rooster. It can cause kidney damage long term.

As for when... your chickens might start laying in 6-8 weeks. You could finish whatever chick feed you have before you switch. When you do switch, start mixing in the new feed a bit at a time, so that it's not a total ending of one and starting of another type of feed.

I kinda figured I'd be adding a little, then a little more and so on because that's how I get my cats used to new stuff. So I want higher protein and moderate calcium?

 

[Brooks_]

So I want higher protein and moderate calcium?

If you want to use all flock, yes. Different brands will use different terms such as - all flock, flock raiser, flock maker, etc. Starter/grower can even be used. Basically look for 18-20% protein and around 1-2% calcium (closer to 1% is better but I've seen up to 1.9%). Then serve oyster shell and grit in separate dishes free choice.

 

[Atchurch]

Good info! Thank you so much. We found out that a man at church is down-sizing his coop and hens a little so he is giving us 3, fully grown, BR girls that are already laying!!! So excited! So I'll go into town tomorrow and find some "All Flock" (or similar) and they'll be separated by chicken wire for a few days so I can just go ahead and give them that right away and begin mixing it in for my teenagers.
This has been such an amazing journey for us. A little heartbreaking a few times, but overall, just a blast! I love this forum and all of y'all, who help me endlessly!

 

[Mouthpear]

I'm back!! Lol.

My babies hatched on March 1st so they're a little over 10 weeks old now. I have one rooster and 6 hens. When should I start getting them off their starter crumbles and start incorporating layer food? And I'm assuming the layer feed is fine for my boy, too. Correct?

Also, what's a great one to feed them? We have a few local seed & feed stores (not TSC) around us, so I can find something local and natural, I'm sure.

Thanks again and again!

When? When they start laying.

What? I sorta disagree with the others but only because you can always add more protein and calcium.

Calcium can be given with oysters shells as has already been stated. You can also feed them their shells back to them. Place them in an open tin/bucket, after rinsing and let dry in the sun from the window. Crush them to the point that they can't tell it was an egg (done so they don't start eating their own eggs.) and add it to the feed. I use my coffee grinder.

If you can, for protein, you can always look into making a mealworm farm. It doesn't take up too much room, low maintenance and plenty of videos on the subject. Look into serving them sprouts. throwing a bunch of seed like corn, bean, alfalfa and many others, into a bucket with water and letting them sprout is a great source. The Youtube channel Survival HT has a great video on that. Just don't let her know I'm in love with her. LOL

 

[MTR]

I use layer feed for my chickens with roosters and haven’t had issues. We also give them most of our table scraps so that boosts the feeds nutrition content (plus garden scraps and free range when we’re home).

 

[Atchurch]

Thank y'all again! We got two new hens from our friend at church who's been raising chickens forever. His birds are beautiful! All BR. So these girls are already laying so in a pinch, because we knew we had to go pick up the girls today, after church, we grabbed a bag of some all flock with 1.8% calcium and 20% protein. I mixed a little in my young flock's starter feed and gave the new girl only the all flock. I will be searching out something locally sourced in a couple of weeks. Plus getting some calcium for them. They might not lay for a day or two, our friend said, just because of the Jeep ride and new environment. Here's a pic of the beautiful additions to our flock!

 

[Brooks_]

They might not lay for a day or two, our friend said, just because of the Jeep ride and new environment.

They do hate change.