changing feed

[coffee]

On the bag chicken feed it says to change over to laying food at eighteen weeks, which is about four weeks before they start laying. This worked out good for my rhode island reds. I now have some leghorns and I have read that they start laying at about eighteen weeks, should I start them on the laying food earlier than eighteen weeks?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I never start layer till I get the first egg.
The directions is how commercial operations do it but they do lose chickens to kidney issues from too much calcium too early.
And they structure artificial lighting to kick them all in at the same time.

 

[OkChickens]

I would wait until the first egg then start mixing the 2 feeds together. Like for a week mix 1/4 laying crumbles + 3/4 chick starter for the first week, then 1/2 laying crumbles and 1/2 chick starter for the second week and so forth. This is how I feed my young hens/pullets and it works well you me.

Nate

 

[OkChickens]

And.................

from Oklahoma!!!!!!!

Nate