Are my chickens duds?

[Ducklover2]

These photos are from a few weeks ago, it's so hard to get a good pic, my barred rock are turning very red

That's a sign of them getting ready to lay.

 

[aart]

They are eating laying crumble and are offered a variety of free ranging and fruit/veggie snacks each day.

How long have they been on layer feed...and what is the protein percentage??
Not much to forage on this time of year up there.....fruit/veg snacks could be diluting feed nutrition.
26 weeks at this time of year is nothing to worry about...and the light is getting almost infinitesimally longer, tho the clouds mostly cover it here. Have patience.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Jenab26]

How long have they been on layer feed...and what is the protein percentage??
Not much to forage on this time of year up there.....fruit/veg snacks could be diluting feed nutrition.
26 weeks at this time of year is nothing to worry about...and the light is getting almost infinitesimally longer, tho the clouds mostly cover it here. Have patience.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

They've been on layer crumble for close to two months now. Protein is 16%. I do try to not over feed snacks, if it's grains not more than 2 handfuls spread out for the 10 of them. Same with fruits/veggies handful of berries at a time (probably like 6/8 total cut up) mostly because the cost is high this time of year in nny! I'm really not sure how many snacks they should be getting, and if I should be supplementing with more protein.

 

[Doc7]

Why feed layer crumble when they are not laying ?

It’s not great for the chickens, doesn’t make them lay faster, not needed (they aren’t going to suffer a problem from not having layer crumble when they start laying, even the chance of a soft shell egg is low as I had 6 hens come into lay without soft shells) and you’re depriving them of protein.

Layer feed is for layers. You don’t have any yet.

They don’t need any snacks or anything besides regular access to quality food and clean water.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

I also have Barred Rocks and Buff Orpingtons who hatched 6/4/2018. A couple of the BR's started laying in November, but the BO's just started about a week ago. The combs looked like your BR for a long time, but now they are bright red and larger. I don't have electric in their coop, but I have a solar bulb which also charges with a cell phone charger. As soon as I started putting this in the coop when I locked them up at night, they started laying eggs. I think it only stays on a few hours, but I think it's working. Hope you see some eggs soon!

 

[Jenab26]

Why feed layer crumble when they are not laying ?

It’s not great for the chickens, doesn’t make them lay faster, not needed (they aren’t going to suffer a problem from not having layer crumble when they start laying, even the chance of a soft shell egg is low as I had 6 hens come into lay without soft shells) and you’re depriving them of protein.

Layer feed is for layers. You don’t have any yet.

They don’t need any snacks or anything besides regular access to quality food and clean water.

I was told to switch to laying crumble when they were 18 or so weeks old :/
It's my first time having chickens, should I switch back to 20%?? I've got about a half bag of laying left!

 

[aart]

Yeah, best not to feed layer feed until they are laying....don't panic, it won't hurt them in the long run but can slow growth/maturity due to lower protein.
Switch out the fruit and veg with animal protein snacks.

I have never fed layer feed....20% all flock type feed with oyster shells on the side in separate feeders. I do give some scratch grains daily, in a ratio that brings protein to about 18%...and very occasional other snacks.

 

[Doc7]

What I would and do do is feed my hens an all flock feed (I feed “Flock Raiser”) and a tin can (I have an empty food can nailed to the wall 8” from the ground, But any type of container will do) of oyster shell which is sold right next to the feed at my store , Tractor Supply. The hens that need oyster shell will eat it.


You could have all your hens laying tomorrow , or, you could have one laying tomrorow and one next week etc. some hens don’t lay until 30 or more weeks.

Switching the feed isn’t a problem, and if you want to feed layer once you know all are laying that’s not an issue. I guess you might lose a few dollars of feed if your last layer doesn’t come in until March or something, but I’d rather feed what the chickens need at this point in their life.


I don’t know why folks recommend people switch on a schedule. I am sure it’s worse to provide insufficient protein for up to 10-16 weeks before their first egg (if switching at 16 or 18 weeks assuming an egg is coming any moment), than it is for a chicken to have a calcium deficiency for their first and second egg.

 

[Jenab26]

Yeah, best not to feed layer feed until they are laying....don't panic it won't hurt them in the long run but can slow growth/maturity due to lower protein.
Switch out the fruit and veg with animal protein snacks.

I have never fed layer feed....20% all flock type feed with oyster shells on the side in separate feeders. I do give some scratch grains daily, in a ratio that brings protein to about 18%...and very occasional other snacks.

Oops I made a mistake...it's called DuMor grower/finisher feed. Not quite sure the difference between that and layer and it is 15%

 

[Jenab26]

What I would and do do is feed my hens an all flock feed (I feed “Flock Raiser”) and a tin can (I have an empty food can nailed to the wall 8” from the ground, But any type of container will do) of oyster shell which is sold right next to the feed at my store , Tractor Supply. The hens that need oyster shell will eat it.


You could have all your hens laying tomorrow , or, you could have one laying tomrorow and one next week etc. some hens don’t lay until 30 or more weeks.

Switching the feed isn’t a problem, and if you want to feed layer once you know all are laying that’s not an issue. I guess you might lose a few dollars of feed if your last layer doesn’t come in until March or something, but I’d rather feed what the chickens need at this point in their life.


I don’t know why folks recommend people switch on a schedule. I am sure it’s worse to provide insufficient protein for up to 10-16 weeks before their first egg (if switching at 16 or 18 weeks assuming an egg is coming any moment), than it is for a chicken to have a calcium deficiency for their first and second egg.

I do have a bag of oyster shells but was told not to give it to them until after they were laying, and then the ones that needed it would eat it. I think I'll go grab a bag of 20% and switch back for a bit