advise on chicken feed?

[janej1957]

i have chickens that are 4 months old and getting ready to start laying eggs i hope. just wondering if i need to add oyster shell to their laying food?they are free range 12 hours a day.

 

[luvmypets]

Oyster shell is to strengthen egg shells, so its your choice, but i recommend get some.

 

[luvmypets]

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I would add it to the side only, not mix it in. The layer feed should have a good amount of calcium though.

 

[aart]

i have chickens that are 4 months old and getting ready to start laying eggs i hope. just wondering if i need to add oyster shell to their laying food?they are free range 12 hours a day.

I use flock raiser 20% protein crumble and have oyster and egg shells offered in a separate container for the layers.
This allows me to buy one feed for all ages/genders and also to feed lesser protein treats like scratch with out lowering their overall protein levels.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I use flock raiser 20% protein crumble and have oyster and egg shells offered in a separate container for the layers.
This allows me to buy one feed for all ages/genders and also to feed lesser protein treats like scratch with out lowering their overall protein levels.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Same here.

And at 4 months, you still will have a couple more months to wait before they start laying.

 

[janej1957]

thx for all your help,also i was wondering if they should start laying when the bread description says they will. i have leghorns,rir,new hamphshire reds, red sex link and black sex link. they said that some should start laying at 17 to 19 weeks.if this is right they should be laying anytime.ty,

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

thx for all your help,also i was wondering if they should start laying when the bread description says they will. i have leghorns,rir,new hamphshire reds, red sex link and black sex link. they said that some should start laying at 17 to 19 weeks.if this is right they should be laying anytime.ty,

Those are just general estimates - some birds might lay at 16, others might wait until 28 weeks - unfortunately, for all the great info about what chickens should or shouldn't do available out there in books, etc the chickens seem to be the only ones who HAVEN'T read the rules. Rather than focusing on a particular number of weeks, look for the general signs/signals that a hen is preparing to become productive - such as the comb/wattle changes, the submissive squat, etc.

 

[Happy Chooks]

thx for all your help,also i was wondering if they should start laying when the bread description says they will. i have leghorns,rir,new hamphshire reds, red sex link and black sex link. they said that some should start laying at 17 to 19 weeks.if this is right they should be laying anytime.ty,

Your leghorns and sex links will likely be the first to lay, and may begin around that 19 week mark. Most hatchery birds will start in the 20-24 week range. My breeder birds start later. Welsummers never start before 24 weeks and it can go up to 30 weeks. Barnevelders are slow to mature, so you just figure 8 months with them.

Generally, you figure 5-6 months, and if you get eggs before then, then great. But you're not setting yourself up for disappointment when they don't lay. Just like people mature at different rates, so do chickens.