When to switch feed

[bk15]

I recently changed over to layer pellets from grower crumble. A couple of days before I switched over I tossed layer pellets on the ground instead of scratch grains. They looked at it for a couple of seconds and gobbled it down. I did this for 3 days. Now they're eating pellets from the feeder. GC

Great idea Iam going to try that when my chicks are ready to switch over to layer feed

 

[9d84runner]

I know, I should of just went with my gut. Being a first time chicken owner and all I just hoped she was right. We usually speak with the owner but she wasn't in and I "thought" the employee new something. Lesson learned! The owner picked out our chickens and sent me home with everything I needed. She was awesome.

I will try throwing the food on the floor. They seem to like to eat it off the ground but If I don't see anything really missing than I will have to go get crumble. I have found out my chickens are REALLY picky eaters. They only eat certain veggies and others they won't touch. I will even try again and they won't touch it.

 

[lazy gardener]

If they get hungry, they will eat it. Give them a couple of days on the new food, and offer nothing else.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I know, I should of just went with my gut. Being a first time chicken owner and all I just hoped she was right. We usually speak with the owner but she wasn't in and I "thought" the employee new something. Lesson learned! The owner picked out our chickens and sent me home with everything I needed. She was awesome.


I will try throwing the food on the floor. They seem to like to eat it off the ground but If I don't see anything really missing than I will have to go get crumble. I have found out my chickens are REALLY picky eaters. They only eat certain veggies and others they won't touch. I will even try again and they won't touch it.


 

Yea I hear yea my chickens won't eat earth worms,but they gobble down insects that they catch.Try mixing new and old 50/50 in the feeder.GC

 

[9d84runner]

They started eating the pellets! I had to throw some on the ground than they started eating it out of the feeders.

 

[FlyWheel]

Chickens are naturally cautious, and will be leery about anything new. Once one tries it and likes it though there is a good chance the rest will follow by example. The first time I held out a hand filled with dried mealworms nobody would get within a foot of them. That lasted about two days, now they go crazy over them.

 

[bk15]

Chickens are naturally cautious, and will be leery about anything new. Once one tries it and likes it though there is a good chance the rest will follow by example. The first time I held out a hand filled with dried mealworms nobody would get within a foot of them. That lasted about two days, now they go crazy over them.

Hahahahaha chickens are so funny that way mine are crazy like that too when I first cave them watermelon they did not eat until 3 hours later one started eating it then they all came over ate it so now they go crazy over it!!

 

[GC-Raptor]

They started eating the pellets! I had to throw some on the ground than they started eating it out of the feeders.

Hey that's great.
2 of my 17 week old girls started making weird sounds and scratching around nervously on the coop floor moving the straw to one corner.
I think they're close to lay.
So I rushed to finish building the nest boxes and put them in the coop last night.
No eggs this morning, just the fake ones. GC

 

[lazy gardener]

Soon, very soon!

 

[GC-Raptor]

Well I got my first egg from my flock of 5 chickens, on their 4 month birthday to the day.
A perfect egg a little on the small side.
I will try to post a picture, it'll be the brown one. The white one is ceramic.

So if you have sex link chickens like I do or white leghorns. Sixteen weeks is not too early to start feeding layers feed in my opinion. GC