How to Care for 22-week old hens

[raisingthelma]

Hello! New chicken lady here. I incubated eggs back in May, and they were born first week of June. This means my chicken ladies are officially 22-weeks old! They have been on layer feed for a few weeks now. Is there anything else I should be doing?

When do I start supplementing with oyster shell? When do I introduce a fake egg in the boxes so that they know where to lay? (How necessary is this? Will they know what to do / where to go if I don't?) What else am I missing?

Thanks for any input/advice!

 

[CHlCKEN]

I would add the fake eggs to the box, it’s definitely very helpful. You can start giving oyster shell whenever you want, they will take it as they need.

 

[AntiqueB]

Depending on where you live, they may not begin laying until spring. My girls, in NJ, have stopped for their winter break.

Layer feed has calcium in it. You can always put a dish of oyster shell out; if they need extra, they will take it. A lot of people also feed all-flock or starter, with oyster shell on the side. That way, they don't get the calcium in layer feed when they're not laying.

I've found that a nice fake egg helps, although a golf ball or round rock can work just as well!

 

[raisingthelma]

I would add the fake eggs to the box, it’s definitely very helpful. You can start giving oyster shell whenever you want, they will take it as they need.

Thank you for the advice! I appreciate it!!

 

[raisingthelma]

Depending on where you live, they may not begin laying until spring. My girls, in NJ, have stopped for their winter break.

Layer feed has calcium in it. You can always put a dish of oyster shell out; if they need extra, they will take it. A lot of people also feed all-flock or starter, with oyster shell on the side. That way, they don't get the calcium in layer feed when they're not laying.

I've found that a nice fake egg helps, although a golf ball or round rock can work just as well!

Thank you!! That's good to know about laying. I live in Northern Minnesota, so we have even less daylight than you. I'll just focus on getting them the right situation and see what happens then. Good to know that it may be awhile... I might get worried otherwise!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Layer feed only has about 16% protein, which is minimal. I advise putting them on all-flock which has about 22%. And since it does not contain calcium, as others have said, offer oyster shell in a separate container. When they need it they will help themselves. I would not put hens on layer formula at any rate until they start laying. They do not need calcium until they start forming eggs. Layer formula will not hasten them to start laying. I use golf balls in my nests to encourage them to lay there. Fake eggs fool me as well as they do the hens!

 

[K0k0shka]

One more vote for an all flock feed instead of layer. I've never used layer feed and never will. I don't like forcing a flat rate of calcium on them, when their needs vary so much throughout the year and their lives. I feed Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein) and have crushed eggshell always available on the side.

Whether they start laying now or in the spring also depends a lot on their breeds. Some breeds mature more slowly than others, and start laying later. I have several generations of chickens, of 3 breeds total (Orpington, Wyandotte, Barnevelder), all hatched in springtime (April or May). The Orpingtons and Wyandottes all started laying in late November or early December, and the Barnevelders waited until mid-January.