When is it time to switch to layer feed?

Date sort Score sort
OK, I am confused. If you feed layer formula before age 16-18 weeks it is too much calcium and could be harmful. If you feed starter/finisher to older laying hens it doesn't have enough calcium. I have a separate bowl of oyster shells. I have 6 pullets 13 weeks old. They are inside the same run with the other girls but are in a separated fenced off area with their own house, waterer and food. The older girls are let out in the morning to free range, the young ones are not. I want to be able to let the chicks out but as long as they have to have different food can't do that. Also, at what point do I put them all together in the same coop?
 
I have 10 laying hens, 1 pullet near POL and 5 chicks that are now 12 weeks old. I got them at 8 weeks old. After a quarantine period I put them out in a small pen where the big girls could see them, I'm assuming like you have. After a couple days I supervised short visits with the big girls, then longer and longer. I have lots of places for the chicks to hide, run around, under etc to get away if they are getting picked on. And they will get picked on. From what I can tell it sounds worse than it is. The chicks squeal and run if a big hen just gets too close. I think the hiding places are very important for the chicks. For the last week everyone has been together day and night. The little ones put themselves to bed in the big coop without being caught and stuffed in (I did have to do that for 2 nights). There is a bit of squawking and squealing as everyone tries to find that perfect roost for the night though but in the morning it seems to have all been worked out with no blood or loss of feathers.
After reading this thread, I am feeding Flock raiser to everyone with oyster shells on the side. When the small ones get to be older (not sure what age I will determine that to be) I will switch to layer feed. Everyone gets scratch, grit, greens and can roam my grassy yard all day. I have multiple feeders and waterers around so everyone gets a chance to eat/drink in peace. I hope this helps. There is SO much to learn and mistakes to be made. This website has been an invaluable source of information for me in the last 1.5 yrs.
 
Last edited:
They need egg laying feed about one month before laying or thier shells could be thin and might break to easy. I always switch mine over around the 5th month of life.
 
we have 6 eight week old chicks that wonder around with our older hens and they eat layer feed and our just fine.
hope it works out
smile.png
 
One of my free range 17 week old white leghorn chickens, who has access to none medicated chick starter feed and oyster shell, laid her first egg yesterday. The egg was small, but the yolk was a beautiful deep orange and the shell is harder to crack than the best eggs I otherwise buy at the health food store.

The scare tactics used to make flock owners compliant with feeding special feeds is the same industry, vets include, who work overtime to scare us from feeding our dogs home prepared meals.

As I've said elsewhere, chickens have been raised in coastal areas eons without OD'ing on calcium.

A couple of my dogs nearly died from eating high end commercial, salmonella contaminated food. They are far far more likely to stay healthy feeding home prepared meals. Ditto chickens, especially free ranged.
 
Last edited:
I started my on laying pellets just about 12 weeks, they are now just starting to lay. Maybe because they got into my tomatoes. My girls are part of the family.
smile.png

They are great to have around, I stay quite busy with my business and the homestead, but they always find me and want to be held. I
also give my birds meal worms they love me.

edited by staff
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

Bear4boo
All Flock Higher Protein Feed vs. Layer Feed
2 3
Replies
22
Views
959
K0k0shka
K0k0shka
C
All flock vs layer feed??
2 3 4
Replies
32
Views
6K
Ponypoor
Ponypoor
C
How to introduce new hens & their feed?
Replies
4
Views
157
chickencrazed0101
C
T
When to change to layers food
Replies
3
Views
668
NatJ
NatJ
watupwitthat
Feeding advice
Replies
5
Views
1K
U_Stormcrow
U_Stormcrow

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom