16 Week Old Egg Laying

[aart]

The Purina Organic Crumble is 16% protein.

Calcium?
Guessing it's 3-4%...layer formulation?
How long have they been on this feed?

 

[lilgreene19]

Calcium?
Guessing it's 3-4%...layer formulation?
How long have they been on this feed?

They've been on it since I got them.

 

[aart]

They've been on it since I got them.

Since they were just little chicks?

 

[lilgreene19]

Since they were just little chicks?

Yes.

 

[aart]

Yes.

You never fed them starter feed?
Chicks should get starter feed, not layer feed.

 

[lilgreene19]

You never fed them starter feed?
Chicks should get starter feed, not layer feed.

Tractor Supply gave us 1 bag of starter feed & then they were outside getting layer crumble, per Tractor Supply and what they told us. So for 6 weeks they got starter and then switched to Layer Crumble..

 

[TheOddOneOut]

hello,

I bought my chickens (ISA BROWN) from tractor supply on May 24th, 2020 (I live in New England). I noticed one was starting to squat when I went near her. Looked it up, realized she was basically going to be laying eggs soon. So on the 11th of September we received our first egg. We got about 4 normal eggs out of her, and the rest have been soft shell.

She usually lays one everyday (being soft shell or hard). The last egg she laid on the 17th was a soft shell and you could see the yolk inside. But she did not lay one yesterday (Sept 18th, or this morning Sept 19th). She is the ONLY Hen laying right now (one other started crouching when I go near her too). All chickens have been eating fine, drinking fine & acting normal.

I attached a picture of the last egg on September 17th.

Is this too early for chickens to be laying?

Should I be worried she is egg bound?

Do you provide oyster shell?

 

[lilgreene19]

That really is bad...

They all act fine & are doing just fine. Never been sick. And are really happy chickens.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

They all act fine & are doing just fine. Never been sick. And are really happy chickens.

Good! Then it probably didn’t hurt them.
But for some it can really cause problems.

 

[lilgreene19]

Common with new layers.

What do you mean by "pellets"?
Again.....



Cold doesn't trigger fall molting, shorter days do.
16 week old birds should be done with their juvenile molts and not molt again until ~18 months of age.

We have shorter days now. Sun used to be up at 430-5 and now isn't up till about 530-6 and used to go downat 8, now its set by 630-7 and will get shorter.

I was told to just give them Layer Pellets when they start laying. And I want to make sure i am giving them the best food (organic) at the right stages so since I bought them on May 24th from Tractor Supply. So they're 16 weeks old now. What Organic feed do you suggest and at what stages...