Barred Rock Pullets

[Flyboy718]

Well I weighed a couple of my barred rock hens yesterday and they weigh in at 6 oz and are 26 days old today. When exactly are they classified as pullets? When can I stop feeding them the medicated chick starter...I have about 10-15 lbs of the original 50 lb bag left.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Feed them the medicated chick feed, if you wish, all the way to maturity. At 12 weeks, you can feed unmedicated, as by then, they likely have the immune systems built up. Chick starter is good food and you can feed it all the way to point of lay. Or, switch them to flock raiser if you wish. Really, anything except the high calcium layer feed, which they do not need.

 

[ky-chicken-farmer]

go ahead and finish feeding the bag of medicated feed and then switch to regular chick starter till they are 16 wks old

 

[Flyboy718]

Quote:
I may do that...if it works out right, they should finish this bag off the second week of september. I will probably switch to flock raiser then, they really shouldn't need medicated then, their immune system should be fine?

 

[JodyJo]

I am still feeding Starter/Grower because I have a mixed flock of 22 week olds and 12 week olds...with oyster shell on the side (getting great eggs!)
When the younger ones start laying I will switch to Layer Feed...
(it is not based on size as to what you feed, but age.)

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
I may do that...if it works out right, they should finish this bag off the second week of september. I will probably switch to flock raiser then, they really shouldn't need medicated then, their immune system should be fine?

Yes, they will be fine, mine have not had medicated since 2 weeks old...if you are going to only feed Flock Raiser, offer the oyster shell on the side...

 

[Alethea]

I'd wait on the oyster shell until they are sixteen weeks old. The extra calcium is good when they are laying, but can cause bone problems in young chicks.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

We've a mixed age flock so was starter until the bag ran out then grower feed. They were all free ranging together by the time the starter was gone and no real way to separate feed type. The hens eggs are still hard without the extra calcium as they get it from insects ranging. The grower feed is finally running out and the pullets turned 20 weeks today. It all works out.

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
They will NOT eat the oyster shell unless they need it...it can be offered to everyone, only the laying hens that require more will consume it.
( not good for younger chicks, is why you don't want to feed Layer Feed to the young ones...it has the added calcium)


Bugs are great for calcium, unless its winter, and there aren't any around...when on Layer Feed they will not need extra calcium/ ie: oyster shell