Today I found my 1st egg! Very dark brown with black speckles and perfectly shaped, but tiny! I took many pictures as this was almost as exciting as when the chicks hatched or when my rooster 1st crowed! I cracked the perfect little egg open and indeed it looked just like an egg.....except there was some black stuff too. It looked like a perfect egg with 3-4 tiny clumps of dirt in it. Is that how the first eggs are? Or does it mean somethings not right? They eat medicated chick started, some grit and veggie clippings and sometimes leftovers. Thanks Tracy
You should really take them off of the medicated chick starter and put them on Laying pellets. That's just the signs of a new layer. Their bodies are just tring to get it together!!
Oh, ok. My little flock ranges in age from 16 weeks to 19 weeks. Layer, I assume is fine for all? The lady at the feed store says not to switch until 24 to 28 weeks!
You would probably be ok switching to layer, but it is a bit early for your youngest especially since they often start laying later when they reach maturity this late in the year. I'd just switch to unmedicated starter/grower, flockraiser or gamebird feed and put oyster shell out freechoice so the ones that start laying soon can meet their calcium needs. That way everybody gets what they need and nothing that they don't. Congrats on the first egg!
Getting rid of the excess starter feed the store declared we needed was a pain here too. Did'nt want to store it for a year as it would'nt be as fresh and mice probably would have eaten through the bin by then anyway We ended up mixing scratch into the stater to produce 14% protien grower feed. Then ofcourse I still needed grower feed but the pullets were getting so old I was'nt going to use it up so got layer crumbles and mixed a measured amount into what was left of scratch to end with 14% protein feed agian until the oldest were 21 weeks and youngest 17, about that age when the blend ran out. All went on layer crumbles there after. The younger pullets did'nt abnormally bulk up from it and notice even now that those not laying yet forage more than running back to feeder as often as the layers do. They are all now 21 and 25 weeks. The plus or down side to mixing the scratch in was they did'nt see it as a treat anymore. Which reminds me...I can buy scratch for treats now edit: BTW scratch is 8% protien, the bags are not usually marked. Your feed bags are nutrient labeled, starter is 18 to 20% protien depending on supplier so it's a simple ratio to blend. Though your pullets are a wee bit young to start layer personally I'd still start em on it as your layer needs that protien for eggs and makes it easy for you.
