California - Northern

[LittleRedCoop53]

Good luck to everyone hatching!

Thanks.....

Talk about exciting... i can hardly wait

 

[InWrongCentury]

Quick question for the group: when do I switch to layer feed?

I'm currently feeding Modesto Mills grower feed, and am getting low so I wasn't sure if I should continue with grower or start the switch to layer soon. I have two girls that are laying for sure, and three that are getting close (they are all within a week in age to each other). I have added free-choice oyster shell to their run.

Thanks!

 

[ronott1]

Quick question for the group: when do I switch to layer feed?

I'm currently feeding Modesto Mills grower feed, and am getting low so I wasn't sure if I should continue with grower or start the switch to layer soon. I have two girls that are laying for sure, and three that are getting close (they are all within a week in age to each other). I have added free-choice oyster shell to their run.

Thanks!

Sometimes switching to layer before they are laying will force the pullets to lay before they are ready which can cause egg laying problems. Sometimes they will have soft shelled eggs that can become stuck or big eggs that do not come out easily.

It is perfectly safe to give them grower with calcium free choice until it runs out after they start laying.

I hope they start laying soon for you!

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

Quick question for the group: when do I switch to layer feed?

I'm currently feeding Modesto Mills grower feed, and am getting low so I wasn't sure if I should continue with grower or start the switch to layer soon. I have two girls that are laying for sure, and three that are getting close (they are all within a week in age to each other). I have added free-choice oyster shell to their run.

Thanks!

You can switch now to layer pellets(less waste, than crumble) and keep free-choice shell available, if all you have are layers. However if you have a mix flock with younger birds as well as males...then you would want to have a all-in-one crumble and free-choice oyster shell available(for the hens who need it).
Hope this helps

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

Quote:
Go with what they said... didn't realize layer food could force pullets to lay before they were ready....i thought it just had more calcium in it...

 

[ronott1]

Go with what they said... didn't realize layer food could force pullets to lay before they were ready....i thought it just had more calcium in it...

It is usually is ok but can sometimes cause problems. Some breeds are more prone to problems with egg laying. I really like to be on the safe side with egg laying.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Everyone but me is now having a nap. All the chicks are asleep under the EcoGlow and my Mastifff and his sister (who comes over most work days to hang out since her new house doesn't have a fence yet) are both snorring on the sofa. Such a quiet house, LOL!

 

[tommysgirl]

sort of a late comment by this thread's speed of communication...
Has anyone else noticed the cockerels really hate to leave their momma?
Has anyone else found an early tell of "cockerel" to be that they like to settle in on their momma's back?
Sort of "king of the hill" at this phase...
I haven't noticed the pullets do that, only the cockerels...

Hi there yes I have noticed it casually. I hatched a lot of sex links over the spring and summer and the boys seemed to be most likely to go for rides on mama's back and play king of the hill. I should keep better track of who does it. It like getting indicators of gender early.

All the adjitated peeps have turned to a happy little chick song now that I've manually nudged them all under the EcoGlow. And boy can I tell when one gets shoved out. The indignant peeps start up again, LOL!

So glad they all arrived and are mostly in great shape. fingers crossed for the little one who was pasted!

 

[sol2go]

Hi there yes I have noticed it casually. I hatched a lot of sex links over the spring and summer and the boys seemed to be most likely to go for rides on mama's back and play king of the hill. I should keep better track of who does it. It like getting indicators of gender early.

exactly what I was thinking, please keep me posted on your observations

 

[tj74roberts]

Hello, I don't know who you were directing this at, but I am going to be ordering 6 bantam Orps from Brandi's Fancy Feathers in Louisiana (no web page, but she has a Facebook page).  She has a 10 chick minimum so I need to order 4 more, would you like to split an order and get some Orps?  She has both bantam and Large Fowl.  I am in Santa Clara in the Bay Area in case you are close by.

Or if anyone else close by wants to split an order, let me know, thanks!

Justine