Chick feed or layer?

[LizGled628]

My ladies are about 22 weeks, and look (fingers crossed!) almost ready to lay. I'm getting down to the bottom of my 50lb bag, and I was wondering if I should get another bag of chick feed, or get the layer feed instead? I want to make sure that they are getting the proper nutrition!

They also free range a lot, and get lot's of vegetable treats from Mom, in case you needed to know

 

[Kittymomma]

At 22 weeks you can probably go either way. I don't feed layer at all since I have a mixed age/species flock--I use gamebird feed with oyster shell out freechoice.

If you think your girls may hold off until spring to start laying you can stick with the grower, flockraiser, or gamebird feed and just offer oyster shell freechoice when they start laying.

 

[ranchhand]

Get the layer feed and start mixing it in with the starter, so as to have a smooth transition. Especially important if you are going to feed layer pellets instead of crumbles. Chickens are visual feeders, so it always needs to be done gradually, over a week or so.

I saw your hens in your other thread, they should be laying soon. Soon in chicken time, mind you, not human time! Keep your "rooster" out there sweet talking them!

 

[BWKatz]

I would switch to layer just to be sure. I did & my first egg was nice and hard. I also went straight to pellets w/o any problem but u never know..chickens are creatures of habit.

 

[catdaddy66]

Quote:
I agree. I like the high protein of chick feed but you've got to give oyster shell to help with calcium requirements that are higher for laying purposes. Layer is good but not essential for any bird to lay.