Errr I think I made a boo boo....

[chickie_momma]

Is it possible that forgetting to switch from grower pellets to layer pellets would delay egg production??

 

[DouglasPeeps]

No, it would not. You should NOT switch to layer pellets until your chickens begin to lay.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

How old are your birds? If they were "late hatches" they may not be motivated to start laying till the days get longer anyway. I have some myself that hatched in the beginning of August and by the paper calender should be laying but seem to be quite happy to wait for spring. There are a lot of variables... breed, age, hours of light, climate for instance. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Layer is really geared toward getting that shell out nice and hard and drops the protien a bit lower since their body isn't needing so much of it.

 

[chickie_momma]

They are 22 week old red sex links...I just thought they should be laying buy now...I bought layer pellets yesterday but have not given it to them yet...SHould I wait then?? I started offereing crushed oysater shells about a month ago and it hasnt been touched all that much by them...

 

[DouglasPeeps]

I would wait to feed it to them until they start laying. The oyster shell is for layers too. Just have it (oyster shell) available for them and they will eat it as needed.

 

[chickie_momma]

Well since I am out at grower pellets do you think the layer pellets would hurt them if I started it a bit early? I have to have to go buy another 50lb bag of grower for only 5 chickens.... Wish me some eggy thoughts...maybe when I get home there will be an egg waiting!!!!

 

[JennsPeeps]

I switched my girls to layer feed around age 6 months and all were fine. I was like you & didn't want to buy another bag of grower when they were getting close. Mine are all fine - up to you how you want to proceed.

 

[cmom]

I feed my birds Starter/Grower until I get my first egg then I switch them over to layer feed. If I have any Starter/Grower left over I just mix it in until it's gone. I offer them dishes of free choice oyster shells and granite grit. I offer the oyster shells when they start to lay. The chick grit, I offer to them as chicks whenever I start giving them any kind of treats or other than their crumbles/pellets. They take what they want.

 

[FrenchHen]

Ditto what Jenn said.
I put mine on layer feed after about 24 weeks and they layed after that.

Do you have a light in the coop?
We needed the light here to get them to lay, but I'm pretty far north.