Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Kooka]

Lol will that work if they haven't even started laying?!

I'm almost at the end of my bag of grower so I planned on changing over to layer but would that be too much calcium for non laying hens? I will mix the feeds for a bit to get them used to the pellets but once the grower is gone should I add a bit more protein another way?

Oh dear!
I bought the three point of lay hens from a fella that was feeding normal pellets......they are in with my LAYES (snickers!) are they then getting the wrong feed ? Should my 'gals' be on a non-layer feed at this time?

 

[IamSamSam]

Haha cute. But if my chicken had feet that fat I would suspect visceral gout.

LOL Brooke said hand making the feet is the hardest part

 

[IamSamSam]

Oh dear!
I bought the three point of lay hens from a fella that was feeding normal pellets......they are in with my LAYES (snickers!) are they then getting the wrong feed ? Should my 'gals' be on a non-layer feed at this time?

Oh my. Unfortunately some people don't research or care. The feed store says feed till 6 weeks then feed to 16 weeks the layer pellets. Which we all know is wrong BUT. If your just buying feed and plod along ?........

I told my shop to change the online written verb on the food to take out the ages for food and they did. Score one for the good guys

 

[sjturner79]

@ ChristieB and Kooka
If your hens are 18 weeks or older they can process the calcium from layers pellets and will actually need it before their first egg, they will often wait to get enough calcium before they start laying, a source of shell grit separate from the feed is the best way to ensure correct calcium level, If your hens are free range, and over 15 weeks you don't need to worry about finding extra protein unless they are underweight they will find it themselves. Layers can be fed grower pellets if they have shell-grit available, but feeding it to long can cause them to get fat.

Kooka if your new gals are too light for their size (undernourished) they need grower, starter or finisher for extra protein, otherwise don't worry about it.


Commercial Starter is about 20% protein and 1 % calcium
Commercial Grower and finisher is about 16% protein and 1% calcium
started and grower often have addition medications that you don't want in your eggs, finisher never does.
If raising meat birds, the finisher is the same as their final feed.
layers should be on about 15% protein and 3-5 % calcium depending on egg production rate,
so as you can see once they are over 15 weeks and they will not suffer liver poisoning from extra calcium the feed choice is not so important as long as they have shell grit

 

[sjturner79]

Heading out to look at some silkies we may be adding to the flock today, will post pics if we get them.

 

[ChristieB]

@ ChristieB and Kooka
If your hens are 18 weeks or older they can process the calcium from layers pellets and will actually need it before their first egg, they will often wait to get enough calcium before they start laying, a source of shell grit separate from the feed is the best way to ensure correct calcium level, If your hens are free range, and over 15 weeks you don't need to worry about finding extra protein unless they are  underweight they will find it themselves. Layers can be fed grower pellets if they have shell-grit available, but feeding it to long can cause them to get fat.

Kooka if your new gals are too light for their size (undernourished) they need grower, starter or finisher for extra protein, otherwise don't worry about it.


Commercial Starter   is about 20% protein and 1 % calcium
Commercial Grower and finisher is  about 16% protein and 1% calcium
started and grower often have addition medications that you don't want in your eggs, finisher never does.
If raising meat birds, the finisher is the same as their final feed.
layers should be on about 15% protein and 3-5 % calcium depending on egg production rate,
 so as you can see once they are over 15 weeks and they will not suffer liver poisoning from extra calcium the feed choice is not so important as long as they have shell grit

Thankyou, I have had a dish with shell grit in the coop since about 20 weeks which is getting eaten, I'll start changing them over to layer, I do have some meat meal left over from fattening my roosters I can always add that to the kitchen scraps for them to take as they need

 

[Kooka]

@ ChristieB and Kooka
If your hens are 18 weeks or older they can process the calcium from layers pellets and will actually need it before their first egg, they will often wait to get enough calcium before they start laying, a source of shell grit separate from the feed is the best way to ensure correct calcium level, If your hens are free range, and over 15 weeks you don't need to worry about finding extra protein unless they are  underweight they will find it themselves. Layers can be fed grower pellets if they have shell-grit available, but feeding it to long can cause them to get fat.

Kooka if your new gals are too light for their size (undernourished) they need grower, starter or finisher for extra protein, otherwise don't worry about it.


Commercial Starter   is about 20% protein and 1 % calcium
Commercial Grower and finisher is  about 16% protein and 1% calcium
started and grower often have addition medications that you don't want in your eggs, finisher never does.
If raising meat birds, the finisher is the same as their final feed.
layers should be on about 15% protein and 3-5 % calcium depending on egg production rate,
 so as you can see once they are over 15 weeks and they will not suffer liver poisoning from extra calcium the feed choice is not so important as long as they have shell grit

Thanks,
As one would expect the 3 newbies are just a tad smaller than the 4 year olds I bred myself. My Wyandottes are big chooks. The original breeder was aiming for big robust stock, so I am thinking that most would class them as 'healthy' gals but not fat.
I had assumed that as they matured they could self regulate calcium after say 16 weeks.
As best I can recall the chicks I bred just got put in with the hens at around 20 wks, adjusted easily and like the older hens who must be 6 or7 years old now, appear to be in rude good health.
So all is good, just checking that I was not doing the wrong thing for the lack of good intel.
Ta
Andrew

 

[Kooka]

Light is the only thing that will keep chooks laying at this time of the year.
I can keep them laying all year by using lights on timers so they get an extra hour or two of light in the mornings.


xxxx

If they keep this up, we will have 24/7 strobe lights. Waterboarding and other torture tactics . I will be hanging posters in their run, hens sitting on eggs and that sort of thing.....if no interest.

Next step will be:

NASTY, MEAN, BAD TEMPERED ROOSTER WANTED,

THE MEANER THE BETTER!!

We'll see if that gets their attention, no more Mr. NICE GUY from me............I'll show em'

 

[Teila]

Howdy folks

Sam those big-footed chookies are adorable!

sjturner79 oooh, how exciting, new chookies and Silkies also; looking forward to the pics if you got them

Lols Kooka strobe lights? They will be too busy partying to lay eggs

I had a wonderful day in the garden with the gals and the bubs (sorry about all the pics, these are only a sample of all the pics I took! Lol)



"I am a tired little Frizzle; I had a big day!"










"I had a big day too!"

 

[cwrite]

Kooka - let me know how that works out for you.

I have a couple of laggards in the starting to lay department too.

Teils - so cute! I think my favourites are the two that are pale brown and grey with black patterns. It will be interesting to see how they feather out. It looks like they are all coming along nicely. : )