Chickens still not laying

Ok, I'll pick up some grower this weekend. BTW ... what about my rooster? Do I need to somehow feed him differently once I switch back to layer?

There are two camps on that - the yeses and the nos. I am a "yes" person myself.
The excess calcium in layer feed is not healthy for any non-laying bird - males, young females, molting females or older females who are past production, etc. It does build up in the body and contribute to things such as kidney damage. For this reason, a mixed flock is most easily managed in the healthiest way possible for ALL birds by feeding a non-calcium enriched feed (ie grower, all flock, etc) and providing calcium for the taking by laying birds in the form of free choice oyster shell. The argument of the "no" camp is that they feed roosters and other non laying birds layer all the time and never see any problem -- well, the damage to the birds is internal and the visible sign of such damage only comes when the bird dies. You would only see that excess calcium may have played a part in that death if a necropsy were performed. *Most* folks just assume the bird died because it was time for it to die and don't realize that while the bird did live, say, three years it may have lived years longer were it not suffering from underlying health issues caused by an improper diet.
 
I agree. My flock is fed an all flock feed and they get a dish of oyster shell on the side. My rooster and drake have never once touched the oyster shell whereas my hens gobble it up. I figure if they won't eat it they don't need it.
 
Well what do you know!!!! I got home today and went out to give my birds some lettuce scraps and top of their water and guess what I found .... one tiny little egg!!!! Woohoo!!! I guess my wife and I are homesteading now!! LOL!! Anyway point taken on the feed and I'll be swapping it out to all flock and giving some oyster shell. I really, really, really can't believe I finally got an egg! I'm stoked!! Thanks for all the advice and rest assured it'll be taken.
 

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