15 week old chickens- questions!!

Gabtods

Chirping
May 16, 2020
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PNW
Our chicks (5 hens) are about to turn 15 weeks this week-
1) is now a good time to open their nesting boxes?
2) should I switch them to laying feed? Or wait until the first egg?? I know switching them too early is bad, but I’m assuming they won’t all start laying at the same time, so I do t want to wait too long either!
3) when should a start offering oyster shells?
4) if they free range most of the day will they know to go to their coop to lay??
Thank you!!!
 
They will find a nice comfy spot to lay. So if the nesting boxes are nice, they will choose it, however it might take some time for them to. For my chickens they took about 3 days to get settled in to our nesting boxes. I recommend you to feed them the grit at 16 weeks. That should be the perfect time to start feeding it. Not too sure about when to open up the nesting boxes though.



Also why is it bad to feed layer feed early?
 
The food you are feeding will provide you the directions for that food. Read the back of the bag. They will offer you the feeding guidelines. Hopes that helps.

As far as they nesting boxes, I opened mine too early and they began to roost in them. So, I closed them off until I noticed a behavior change.
Such as singing/yelling the egg song. Very loud and she ran the others out of the coop. She was pacing. Any time another came to the coop door, to see what the commotion was all about she yelled louder!
Finally, I got the clue and closed everyone out.
It was then and only then, she went into the nesting box and screamed the entire time. When she came out, I gave her a juicy night crawler and opened the coop door. She walked out into the run like "LOOK AT ME!!! I laid my first egg Bi**hes!!!
LOL I was very Happy and so was she. It was a wonderful Mother Day gift. Then, my husband cooked the very first egg for me on Mothers Day.
It was a very good day.
 
1) Yes, they need time to explore the boxes before onset of lay, and this will also let you know if there'll be any issues with chickens trying to sleep in nest boxes. If they're roosting reliably there shouldn't be a problem, but best to find out now instead of later.

2) First egg. Assuming you're set on using layer, with 5 birds I'd aim for at least half of them laying, OR try and time it so that you use up your current feed before getting new feed, to try and get it as fresh as possible.

3) Now is fine. They may sample some out of curiosity but shouldn't really start to consume them until they need them.

Also why is it bad to feed layer feed early?

Lower protein slows growth. Higher calcium (when it's not being used) can cause organ damage over time.
 
Our chicks (5 hens) are about to turn 15 weeks this week-
1) is now a good time to open their nesting boxes?
2) should I switch them to laying feed? Or wait until the first egg?? I know switching them too early is bad, but I’m assuming they won’t all start laying at the same time, so I do t want to wait too long either!
3) when should a start offering oyster shells?
4) if they free range most of the day will they know to go to their coop to lay??
Thank you!!!
I open the nests and put ceramic eggs or golf balls in nests at 15 weeks old.

Wait till 18 weeks old. I don't feed layers feed. I feed my hens a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower 18% with Oyster Shells separately.

I also put out Oyster Shells at 15 weeks. 20181214_095753.jpg
If they've been free ranging all day you'll get plenty of exercise during your daily egg hunt.
Keep them in their pen till at least noon. Till all have been laying for a month, then repeat if you hear that egg song away from the coop.
I don't let my pullets outside their large pen till all have been laying for a month or more.

My 15 weeks old have not yet free ranged.
20200811_131642_resized.jpg

GC
 

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