Chicks or Pullets?

[Billina]

Hi, my girls are 4 weeks old and I've been giving them Universal Feed Chick Starter Mash. It says on it to give it until they are 6 weeks old. Fine, but what then??? Universal Feed does not have any web site that I could find. Is there a pullet feed? When exactly are they pullets? My three are a Buff Orpington, an Americauna and a Silver Laced Wyandotte - all raised for eggs, not meat.

By the way the SLW is quite dark, does anyone know if the silver lace gets more pronounced later?

Thank you! I love this site!
Billina

 

[speckledhen]

Hi,
They are pullets till they are a year old, basically. What you want is probably a grower or developer feed. Most feeds by the big companies now make a starter/grower combo feed made to feed from hatch up till about 18 weeks old or laying age. Is Universal the Kaytee feed sold by Petco? Check out Petco's site, if so.
The lacing does develop gradually-it's amazing actually. I own three of those lovely ladies.
Glad you're enjoying it here.

 

[Billina]

Thanks SH! My real question was more when do they become pullets? Is it once they get their feathers? Someone said when they start to look like fat pigeons. If so, my 4 week olds are now pullets.

 

[silkiechicken]

Like speckledhen said, they are pullets up to a year old. That means they are pullets even as chicks. Pullet is like saying girl, rather than woman. A baby girl is a girl but not a woman. Same thing if that makes any sense.

 

[Billina]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh! Got it. Thanks!

 

[Davaroo]

Switch to grower rations and leave it at that until 6 mo's or until the hens start getting ready to lay. Then switch to laying feed.