Grower or Layer Feed?

[lagrange chicks]

I have 8 14 week old chicks (7 pullets 1 Roo) and have enough grower to feed a couple more weeks, I already have a bag of layer feed but I am wondering if they are to young to start the layer feed at 16 weeks. If I buy another bag of grower it will last until they are 20 weeks old, probably longer because I want to mix the grower/ layer for a week or 2. What would you do?

 

[Kiki]

What breed are the birds?

 

[Kiki]

I just went to look at your other thread.
I'd start the layer feed.

 

[lagrange chicks]

What breed are the birds?

5 Barred Rock/ 3 Easter Eggers.

 

[Kiki]

5 Barred Rock/ 3 Easter Eggers.

Starting the layer feed won't hurt at all. It's actually better to start them on the layer feed a few weeks before you expect the first egg.

 

[21hens-incharge]

With a male in the group you can feed grower or an all flock/flock raiser their entire lives.
You would need to have oyster shell in a separate dish for the females of course. The male may eat a bit of the oyster shell here and there but certainly not enough to harm him.

Layer has extra calcium that the male doesn't need and it can have long term negative impact on his kidneys.

 

[lagrange chicks]

With a male in the group you can feed grower or an all flock/flock raiser their entire lives.
You would need to have oyster shell in a separate dish for the females of course. The male may eat a bit of the oyster shell here and there but certainly not enough to harm him.

Layer has extra calcium that the male doesn't need and it can have long term negative impact on his kidneys.

Thanks All.

 

[lagrange chicks]

What is the difference in egg count going to all flock raiser?

 

[Kiki]

What is the difference in egg count going to all flock raiser?

What do you mean by egg count?
You are not going to get more eggs simply because of a feed used. Each bird has a predetermined amount of eggs it will lay. You are more likely to have issues with the birds not getting enough calcium of you give them an option to eat it on the side instead of already mixed in their feed.

You won't find many, any really, recent thread about a rooster suffering from gout issues from eating a layer type feed. You will find thousands of threads about hens laying soft shelled eggs from not eating enough calcium because they are giving the option to eat it on the side.

 

[lagrange chicks]

I should have said, would it reduce my egg volume per week going with all flock instead of layer feed. So far I like the Roo and would not want to feed him something that will harm him.