...

[ChickenLiL86]

I fed my 15 week old pullets oyster shell and laying pellets today not knowing you aren't suppose to. Do you think they will be alright?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Don't worry, I'm sure they will be totally fine.

 

[ChickenLiL86]

I've been freaking out. Do you think it will effect there laying later on? I read that if you feed them to much calcium it's not good for them.

 

[Pork Pie]

I've been freaking out. Do you think it will effect there laying later on? I read that if you feed them to much calcium it's not good for them.

I would very much doubt so. Sure, excess calcium is not the best for non-layers and, in theory it could cause some long-term issues. To be honest, I would not worry too much - after all, what's done is done. I've had pullets that have fed on layers food from a premature age, when I've raised chicks with a broody hen and they have been perfectly fine. I should add however, that I only keep layers for around 18 months, then cull them and replace them as where i live there is no winter, no moulting period and they lay almost daily all year round. After one year of laying, they are finished, poor things.

 

[ChickenLiL86]

After One year of laying you swap out hens?

 

[Pork Pie]

After One year of laying you swap out hens?

I do indeed. Some people keep chickens as pets, others as livestock. I'm probably somewhere in between. At the end of the day, egg sales need to cover their feed costs (or as near as possible), so I only keep hens that lay well. If I wanted a pet, I'd get a dog

 

[ChickenLiL86]

Do you recommend me swapping hens out after a year?

 

[Pork Pie]

Do you recommend me swapping hens out after a year?

Certainly not. Any advice would depend on your goals, circumstances, reasons for keeping chickens etc.

For those that like to have a year round supply of eggs (in the temperate latitudes) I've read that members ensure that they breed or acquire pullets (young hens) on a yearly basis as they do not moult during their first year and hence will lay during the winter months, when the rest of their mature flock will undergo a moult and cease egg laying for a period of time.

 

[ChickenLiL86]

You dont get attached to your chickens? I think I would have a hard time getting rid of mine after a year

 

[Pork Pie]

You dont get attached to your chickens? I think I would have a hard time getting rid of mine after a year

As I mentioned, some peeps keep chickens as pets - whilst I enjoy keeping chickens, they are not pets. Many people would not be comfortable with my approach to keeping chickens - hence I did not advise that you follow what I do. There's likely no reason whatsoever to get rid of your birds after 1 year of laying. If mine continued to lay, I wouldn't either.