14 week old pullets! What to do?

[Henrietta02]

I'm confused as to when pullets start laying eggs because I'm getting so many different answers! So the internet says chickens start laying at 6 months of age, yet the internet also says to start them on layer feed at 18 weeks which is about 4 months.... And you only start them on layer feed when they are laying right?.... My chickens are 14 weeks old; do I keep feeding them the chick starter? When should I start them on layer feed? (I have read that there are serious health consequences if you start them on layer feed too early...)

 

[Mimi13]

Even though different breeds mature at different rates you will be safe feeding them layer feed beginning at 18 weeks. Also at this time open up your nesting boxes, if closed, so they can start exploring them. Mine have always started laying at the 20 week mark. Good luck.

 

[RWise]

My pullets fire up at 16 weeks to 1 YO, even from the same roo and hen.
I do not feed layer pellets, they are bad for the rooster!
I do feed high protein with oyster shell on the side.
I also do not use chick starter as it has meds in it. I use game bird chow,,,

 

[Alexander2000]

They start laying at 20 weeks.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

All breeds and individual chickens are different. I have two black sex links and two buff orpingtons. Black sex links are known to start laying earlier (16 to 20 weeks), and buff orpingtons are usually later, sometimes as late as 7 months or more.

One of my black sex links started laying around 17 weeks. One of my buff orpingtons started laying around 20 weeks. The other black sex link hasn't started laying yet, even though she looks ready and has been squatting and scratching in the nesting boxes for several weeks now. The other buff orpington is nowhere near ready to lay and doesn't even have her comb and wattles yet. They are all almost 23 weeks right now.

 

[aart]

Internet info will be all over the place,
avoid anyone giving advice that gives hard, finite numbers.
Live animals don't work like that.

Average onset of lay for most breeds is 18-28 weeks.
Some high production hybrid breeds can start earlier,
some larger and/or heritage breeds may start later...some much later.

Opening the nests now would be fine.
Gives them, and you, time to make sure they will not sleep in nests at night.

Feeds can be all over the place too.
The manufacturers will have you believe that you must change formulations at a precise date. IMO, and IME, it's fine to feed starter/grower or an 'all flock' type formulation from hatch to dispatch, providing oyster shell in a separate container for the layers.
You just have to read the fine print on nutrition percentage tags sewn into bottom of feed bag and balance your birds overall nutrition, including any 'treats'.

 

[sourland]

All breeds and individual chickens are different. I have two black sex links and two buff orpingtons. Black sex links are known to start laying earlier (16 to 20 weeks), and buff orpingtons are usually later, sometimes as late as 7 months or more.

An 'all flock' ration with oyster shell on the side covers all the needs of maturing pullets.

 

[Mimi13]

An 'all flock' ration with oyster shell on the side covers all the needs of maturing pullets.

I just switched all my birds over to Flock Raiser this past weekend. My hens wanted the chick food and my chicks wanted the hen food. Neither groups needed the other one’s feed. Crazy birds. I guess they can be just like people sometimes, always wanting what someone else has.