At what age should i introduce the oyster shell?

[Going Quackers]

The chickens are basically 18wks, they are fed a flock raiser and are put outside daily, with some BOSS and scratch tossed about in their pen.

I have no plans to use a layer as i have more waterfowl(drakes too) than chickens so prefer to use a feed that everyone can eat, my ducks have access to oyster shell free choice but since the chickens were young i had yet to give them any, should i begin now?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I don't expect pullets to start giving eggs until 24 weeks so would wait. Though with free choice they really wont consume it until they need it so it doesn't matter when you start providing it.

 

[Going Quackers]

I don't expect pullets to start giving eggs until 24 weeks so would wait. Though with free choice they really wont consume it until they need it so it doesn't matter when you start providing it.

true but one less thing to knock down is always good lol I'll wait awhile longer, will impending winter delay their laying age? i have no light added in the coop nor plan too.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Some years the pullets are later to start for me than others and they are started same time each spring. Adding lighting made no difference to starting lay time. We add lighting just to ensure they get vitamin D via light spectrum, use a 16 watt warm white energy efficient bulb to ensure they get 12 hour light- on for few hours pre-dawn and few hours after dusk with timer.

Thinking about that I'm realizing we are already below 12 hours dawn to dusk. Dunno, maybe I'll only ensure 11 hours this year. We get below 9 hours up north here so will give them something but wont get out the electric cords until it's time to heat the water. Few more weeks until that's needed.