How long til they lay?

[LeiaLayers5]

These are our oldest non-laying hens currently and wondered if anyone has an estimate how much longer it might be?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'd say you're a ways off yet (weeks, not days)- how old are they?

 

[LeiaLayers5]

I'd say you're a ways off yet (weeks, not days)- how old are they?

The breeder said about 15 weeks a month ago.

 

[junebuggena]

What are you feeding them? They look like they are just now about 15 to 16 weeks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The breeder said about 15 weeks a month ago.

So they'd be about 19 weeks now - not surprising they aren't looking too close to production just yet.

 

[LeiaLayers5]

What are you feeding them? They look like they are just now about 15 to 16 weeks.

16% laying feed, and manna pro omega egg maker supplements. mealworms on occasion and watermelon etc....

 

[junebuggena]

Layer feed should not be fed to birds that are not actively laying. It's calcium content is too high for developing birds and it's protein content is too low. They need to be on either a chick starter, grower, or flock raiser type feed. This might be why they look younger than they actually are, and why they haven't started developing in the combs yet.

 

[LeiaLayers5]

Layer feed should not be fed to birds that are not actively laying. It's calcium content is too high for developing birds and it's protein content is too low. They need to be on either a chick starter, grower, or flock raiser type feed. This might be why they look younger than they actually are, and why they haven't started developing in the combs yet.

It was what we had based on our first three girls. Guess I will have to see if we have it in our budget to buy a whole other bag of feed. Being not far from laying age it did not seem like a necessary expense, but now we also have some younger than them too so I will have to get some. Thanks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It was what we had based on our first three girls. Guess I will have to see if we have it in our budget to buy a whole other bag of feed. Being not far from laying age it did not seem like a necessary expense, but now we also have some younger than them too so I will have to get some. Thanks.

Rather than having to buy and feed two different feeds, for a group of such mixed ages it would be simpler to feed all the birds (your older, actively laying birds included) a grower ration or "flock raiser" and put out oyster shell to provide the calcium needed by those birds who *are* actively laying eggs.

 

[LeiaLayers5]

Quote: That would be fine except we recently just bought a brand new bag of the laying feed and I do not want to have to buy both the new feed and oyster shell too to replace that. We will buy the grower ration and feed that to the little ones, it will be less expense to just go ahead and buy that alone, plus we may be adding more young ones in the future so it will be used after these grown old enough for the laying feed too. Thanks. Sorry if I seem brusk, but spending money is kept at minimum currently for personal reasons.