Age and food questions

[Den in Penn]

17 weeks is when I consider them POL (Point Of Lay). At that time you can either finish out the grower/starter or start layer. It won't hurt them either way. Looking back, when I was growing up my grandfather would get a bag or two of starter when that was done they would get what the hens would get. Back then I don't think many would have though about something like too much calcium in a young birds diet. Times change.

 

[Buckhunter76]

Yea times change but birds don't, it's all into what you read into, lol.

 

[fluffyxx]

Haha, I know. I told my mom the other day... I was like, I don't think that people in the old times thought about the feeding habits of chickens this much.

But, thank you all once again for the info! I'm so excited for the first egg! I'm trying really hard not to have a countdown. I'll drive myself crazy if I do that! I was excited a couple of days ago, because when I went for my usual visit, some of them had stopped peeping and were now making actual chicken sounds. They grow up so fast.

 

[Chris09]

Yea times change but birds don't, it's all into what you read into, lol.

Birds (chicken) have changed in there nutritional needs and there looks a great deal.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

Although it don't hurt them to start on layer food a little early, could be a better laying start

Do a search on Calcium Toxicity in poultry, you might just change your mind. There is a good reason it called a Layer Feed it is because it is meant for laying birds, birds in production.


Chris

 

[Buckhunter76]

Birds (chicken) have changed in there nutritional needs and there looks a great deal.

Chris

That's like saying the birth of human babies has changed too??? The Docs of today say wait till your babies are about 5 months to start them on baby food, but back in the day they was feeding them mashed potatoes and mashed green beans, never hurt anyone back then, why would it now? Has humans changed in what we eat other than fast food ? Like I said people read into it to much, point in case.

 

[Buckhunter76]

That's like saying the birth of human babies has changed too??? The Docs of today say wait till your babies are about 5 months to start them on baby food, but back in the day they was feeding them mashed potatoes and mashed green beans, never hurt anyone back then, why would it now? Has humans changed in what we eat other than fast food ? Like I said people read into it to much, point in case.

Left a part out, but back in the day they was feeding them mashed potatoes and mashed green beans at like 2 weeks old

 

[Chris09]

That's like saying the birth of human babies has changed too??? The Docs of today say wait till your babies are about 5 months to start them on baby food, but back in the day they was feeding them mashed potatoes and mashed green beans, never hurt anyone back then, why would it now? Has humans changed in what we eat other than fast food ? Like I said people read into it to much, point in case.

But your forgetting a very big thing.
Today's high production breed weren't around "back in the day".
I don't know a Doc. that puts a calender date on when to start feeding "baby food" but, did you stop to think that Nutritionally we may know more now than they did then?

Since 1900, the average lifespan of persons in the United States has lengthened by greater than 30 years.

Also keep in mind "back in the day" more babies were breastfeed and to a point grew faster than babies on formula (which most of today's babies are fed)


Chris

 

[Buckhunter76]

But your forgetting a very big thing.
Today's high production breed weren't around "back in the day".
I don't know a Doc. that puts a calender date on when to start feeding "baby food" but, did you stop to think that Nutritionally we may know more now than they did then?

Since 1900, the average lifespan of persons in the United States has lengthened by greater than 30 years.

Also keep in mind "back in the day" more babies were breastfeed and to a point grew faster than babies on formula (which most of today's babies are fed)


Chris

A chicken is a chicken, and back in the day

people lived longer, an average live span is now 55 to 65 years of age

, don't know where you got your research

. Breast feeding doesn't have anything to do with the statement above, I was simply saying that, it didn't hurt them then, it won't hurt them now!!!!!!

 

[Chris09]

A chicken is a chicken, and back in the day

people lived longer, an average live span is now 55 to 65 years of age

, don't know where you got your research

. Breast feeding doesn't have anything to do with the statement above, I was simply saying that, it didn't hurt them then, it won't hurt them now!!!!!!

You may want to do some research yourself a good place for you to start would be the CRS Report for Congress for the average lifespan of a human.


I'm not going to get into it with you about feeding or anything else because you think if they did it "back in the day" it must be right or "if it didn't hurt them them it won't now". But I will say this a lot has changed since "back in the day" we have learned a lot about livestock and poultry nutrition.

Chris