Feeding...

[Peanut - Dasiy]

I have 4 silkie hens all 5 months old..One has just started laying a few days ago..Still waiting for the other three to started..I am feeding grower feed still.Do i still keep feeding that till all the hens are laying..Then switch to the layer feed..HELP....

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC.

There are several options you can choose from for feeding your flock. If you want to feed layer ration you can switch them over at 18+ weeks and/or when they are laying - so, for your flock, anytime now. Alternatively, you can feed grower ration (as you are now) and offer free choice oyster shell for them to take in to meet their calcium needs for shelling/expelling eggs -- you can use this as a bridge until all of your birds have begun to lay, then switch to layer feed, or you can feed this way long-term. I, myself, use grower ration with oyster shell - I prefer the higher protein offered by grower vs. layer feed *and* I maintain a mixed flock where not all the birds are laying all the time, so it is a simpler approach than having to worry about who should/shouldn't have the high calcium layer feed at any given time (mixed flock is not just about gender, but also if you have females not laying due to age, molt, broodiness, etc)

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! Ol Grey Mare has left you some excel em advice on feeding your girls so I will just Hi and welcome.

Wishing you the very best of luck in the future, I hope you have more eggs soon.

Enjoy BYC and all the chicken chat

 

[trailrider330]

Ol Grey Mare gave you some good advice so I just wanted to drop in and say, "Welcome to the BYC flock! We are very glad you decided to join us!"

 

[drumstick diva]

Ol Grey Mare has given you great advice re: managing the feeding of laying and non-layers. Roosters and young chicks also don't get the high calcium layer feed, it can ruin their kidneys. Birds that are not laying will not take any "crushed oyster shell."


Welcome to Backyard chickens, so glad you joined the flock.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Ol Grey Mare has given you some good advice so I'll just say, "If you haven't done so already, definitely check out our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is loads of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your Silkies."

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!