When is it time to switch to layer feed?

[Chris09]

Corn, chilled or dried, generates digestive heat so while it's chilled component may cool initially the corn itself will actually warm your birds. Stick with chilled dark leafy greens (light on any spinach) chilled melon and fruits...frozen for those really warm days of summer. Save the corn for the winter when they need the extra heat and then give it to them toward the end of the daylight hours to help them warm at night.

Corn will not "warm" your birds.
The story that Corn will make your birds/animal hot is a misunderstanding of the term "HOT" when referring to livestock.
The term HOT simply means High Energy as in Corn is a High Energy feedstuff.

You can look at this way also, most poultry feed contain 50 to 70 percent corn and not one chicken has ever suffered from Heat Stress wile eating a high Corn diet.

Yes Corn produces some "heat" BUT so does everything else that a chicken eats.

 

[cackleberrycam]

I suggest starting to give them layer feed at 16 weeks.

 

[MeepBeep]

Uh--in the United States, it is illegal to put growth hormones in poultry feed.
What are you guys talking about?
yeah, super confused.

My comment was simply a generalization in regards to ALL medications and hormones used in feeds to any animal that enters the human food chain, it didn't imply either were in any particular feed or tied to any particular animal... Even though poultry hormones are banned in the US, EU and Australia there are still some countries in Asia and the Middle East where it's common practice (even if outlawed)... And then we could get into the whole beef industry where the EU considers US beef to be poisonous because we allow hormones and they don't... The use of medications and/or hormones in food and it's safety is ripe for argument...

 

[subhanalah]

My comment was simply a generalization in regards to ALL medications and hormones used in feeds to any animal that enters the human food chain, it didn't imply either were in any particular feed or tied to any particular animal...  Even though poultry hormones are banned in the US, EU and Australia there are still some countries in Asia and the Middle East where it's common practice (even if outlawed)...  And then we could get into the whole beef industry where the EU considers US beef to be poisonous because we allow hormones and they don't...   The use of medications and/or hormones in food and it's safety is ripe for argument...

I'm pretty sure it's due to our handling of the whole "mad cow" issue.

 

[MamaChicken4]

Unfortunately only store to have chicken feed here only has medicated grower. Chick were not vaccinated and the same store who ordered them only got medicated. We are 1000 miles from a feed store and on an island.

Ah I understand that. It's so crazy how stores sell medicated by default. I think non medicated should be the default sold everywhere.

 

[MeepBeep]

In the states if a feed company has Starter/Grower combo feed they also usually have the non-medicated Starter/Grower right beside the medicated.

I don't know if I would go that far as to claim 'in the states' yes in most larger big box stores and lager feed stores in the US it's common to have both medicated and unmedicated feeds, at least in rural areas... But the OP has stated they live in a pretty isolated location and on an island to boot... Chances are the local island feed store doesn't have anywhere near the selection and variety of a mainland store due to the fact it's just not cost effective to ship/truck/boat in competing products unless there is a sufficient demand to do so... This is even true on non-isolated islands, I have vacationed on many coastal islands in Florida, and the selection on 'island' stores for everything is dismal to say the least compared to what is available across the bridge or by boat to the mainland...

The selection is even bad where I live, there is a local feed store that is pretty well stocked on most things (horse) but they lack on most 'poultry' things beyond your normal chicken feeds, they also have horrible hours and higher prices... Leaving me with little choice but to drive about an hour to a better stocked feed store to get what I need most of the time in bulk...

 

[Chris09]

MeepBeep,

The problem started with this post,
Quote:
Which is incorrect no matter if the hen in on a medicated chick starter or a medicated starter/grower.
The products used in medicated type feeds thats intended for laying or a multi-flock is either Amprolium or Lasalocid.
Last checked there are no egg withdraw with either product since Lasalocid is confined to the alimentary canal of the bird and Amprolium mimics thiamine (Vitamin B1).

 

[henless]

To clarify, we ARE a state of the US! So, not ALL US states have both medicated and non medicated starter/grower feed. On this island we have 1 pet store for small animal (pets like dog cat hamster and birds, such as parakeet and parrot. Our local True Value had chicks shipped in from a hatchery. They are the ONLY place to get chicken supplies. They do not carry the non medicated feed. Also did not carry grit. Had to buy adult and grind smaller.

. They also have only two kinds of layer feed. Both the same company but one is crumbles and the other pellets. Both 16% , protein? Since all of my kids are together I just wondered when to switch to layer feed and would it hurt the younger ones. I can not figure how to keep them from eating each other's feed. Lol. Thanks for all the commentary!!

You have to use what is available to you in your area. I would keep them all on the starter or grower(if you have it) until everyone starts laying. When you get your first egg, or around 18 weeks, put out some crushed oyster shell, and the ones who are laying will get what they need from that. After you switch to layer, I would still leave out the oyster shell. Some hens will need more than is put in the layer feed.

If you have any Roos, the layer will not be good for them. But, with your limited availability of feed, they may have to eat it anyway. Like subhanalah said, a "flock raiser" type of feed would be best, but you may not have it in your area. I don't know if feeding a medicated starter to adult chickens would hurt or not, but if not, that would be an option if you have Roos. You just have to make sure you have oyster shell out for the layers.

I feed Texas Naturals. It's a non GMO, non Soy unmedicated feed. They have starter, grower/broiler, grower/layer (not available where I am),layer and scratch. I don't have any Roos right now, so will probably switch to layer once everyone starts laying. Once I get a Roo, I am leaning toward using the starter full time and just putting out shells for them. There is only a 2% difference in protein between the starter and layer.

eta: If you get new chicks next year, or any time, you will need to switch everyone back to starter until they get old enough to lay. Unless you keep them in a seperate pen.

 

[subhanalah]

Medicated Starter feed is for chicks.  The medication is Amprolium, in a very low additive.  Amprolium  for chicks, wi06830/when-is-it-time-to-switch-to-layer-feed/30#post_13803859"]Medicated Starter feed is for chicks.  The medication is Amprolium, in a very low additive.  Amprolium  for chicks, will develop an immunity to Coccidiosis==that is all.  It cures nothing, is a prevenative for young birds.   By 2 to 3 months, the chicks will be immune for"life".    It is not designed for older birds!  If you do not have chicks out on wet grass or let your coop bedding get wet, coccidiosis is not much of a threat.   However, why not have your birds immune    It is NOT designed for older birds, the immunity is built up as chicks,  so skip it for your hens, but will NOT make the eggs poisonous.

It is an easy   prevention for Coccidiosis, which is treatable, with variable losses of chicks ( I have none to spare!)   Treatment is costly, requires careful use of drugs, and since it kills all the good bacteria in the gut, requires, after treatment,  extra feeding of yogurt to repopulate the gut with the goll develop an immunity to Coccidiosis==that is all.  It cures nothing, is a prevenative for young birds.   By 2 to 3 months, the chicks will be immune for"life".    It is not designed for older birds!  If you do not have chicks out on wet grass or let your coop bedding get wet, coccidiosis is not much of a threat.   However, why not have your birds immune    It is NOT designed for older birds, the immunity is built up as chicks,  so skip it for your hens, but will NOT make the eggs poisonous.

It is an easy   prevention for Coccidiosis, which is treatable, with variable losses of chicks ( I have none to spare!)   Treatment is costly, requires careful use of drugs, and since it kills all the good bacteria in the gut, requires, after treatment,  extra feeding of yogurt to repopulate the gut with the good bacteria,  and can delay laying,  a shame to have your birds go through the sickness and treatment when in a few weeks, it can be prevented.

I feed  medicated  Starter, for all chicks, until pullets start to lay, then mix half and half for a few days, then all Layer crumbles.  I do not raise fryers or birds to butcher.  Grower feed is really best for fryers or butcher birds--do not need the transition from Starter to Grower to Layer, if your birds are for Laying/Hatching, just skip the Grower.  Not to worry--good luck.

this is not true AT ALL.
here's what the bag of medicated feed says regarding using the low dose of Amprolium in medicated feed and as it pertains to immunity. You have to click the photo to read it.

Both Amprolim and Lasalocid is used as a preventive and treatment of coccidiosis.

At such a low dosage, it is intended to prevent the coccidia from overwhelming the system of the chicks.

 

[Chris09]

At such a low dosage, it is intended to prevent the coccidia from overwhelming the system of the chicks.

It depends on the dosage that is in the feed.

At a dosage of 0.0125% to 0.0175% it is preventing coccidosis by starving it and not letting it to grow or reproduce, that is why the chick doesn't grow a immunity to coccidosis (there is no threat to grow a immunity too)

Dosage below 0.0125% are used when you want the chick to grow a immunity to coccidosis because it keeps the coccidosis at a manageable level for the chick. (there isn't enough amprol to go around and kill all the coccidosis in the chick).

Quote from Huvepharma.com