Feed

[Edin]

Hello, I am in my first year of chicken keeping. I have a mixed flock of six Cochin, wellsummer, Orpington, Americana, and a barred rock roo. I am planning on putting out crushed oyster shells around 16 weeks and opening up the nest boxes just in case. Is that too early to offer oyster shells? I hear they will just take what they need. They are on an organic grower feed right now. I’m planning on switching to an organic layer feed at 18 weeks. Is that okay if they aren’t all laying? I suspect they will start at different times all being different breeds. Also is this safe for my roo who is in the coop with them? Is it safe for him to get the calcium rich food? It would be hard for us to feed them separately.

 

[HappyClucker7]

If you have a roo, then you can't feed layer feed. You have to give them flock raiser. Once one of them starts laying, then you give some oyster shells. They will take some of they need it.

 

[Edin]

If you have a roo, then you can't feed layer feed. You have to give them flock raiser. Once one of them starts laying, then you give some oyster shells. They will take some of they need it.

Is that enough calcium for my laying hens?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Here we never feed a layer diet, because we have birds of all ages, males, and females both in lay and not laying eggs. Either a grower/ chick feed, or an all flock feed, with oyster shell in a separate dish, will work for everyone.
Do always check the mill date on each bag of feed before buying! It should all be fed within two months of milling if at all possible, so it's fresh every time.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's fine to have oyster shell available earlier than point of lay - just saw one of my 11 week olds try it out today and she immediately lost interest after a couple of flakes and walked off.

For your cockerel's sake best to not use layer and stick with a grower or all flock type feed, to keep calcium levels down.