Im now confused

[Blondiebird526]

Hey y'all,

So I went to my local feed store and was asking when I could start transitioning my chickens to the layer feed and she told me when they turn 18 weeks (not the confusing part, this was reaffirming what I thought I already knew) but then she asked what they were on now and how old they are. I let her know they are about 2 months old, and that I was still feeding the grower feed with some scratch and scraps from in the house and lawn. She said that they are at the point where I could use up the rest of my grower feed and then just keep them on everything else till they at starting to lay at which point I will introduce the layer feed. This sounds like they might miss come nutrients, I thought I needed some sort of feed for them to have in case the scratch and scraps don't give them everything they need.

 

[LaFleche]

You can just proceed with grower feed and provide crushed oyster shell and crushed egg shells in a separate dish when they start to lay.

In case you have cockerels in your group of youngsters, layer feed would contain too much calcium form them.

 

[Blondiebird526]

You can just proceed with grower feed and provide crushed oyster shell and crushed egg shells in a separate dish when they start to lay.

In case you have cockerels in your group of youngsters, layer feed would contain too much calcium form them.

I only have hens

 

[LaFleche]

I only have hens

With hens only you can change to layer after their first egg or keep feeding the grower providing extra calcium on the side.

If you decide to switch, do it over a few days gradually adding more of the new feed every day. This will prevent a sudden partial molt and any possible digestive problems.

 

[Blondiebird526]

With hens only you can change to layer after their first egg or keep feeding the grower providing extra calcium on the side.

If you decide to switch, do it over a few days gradually adding more of the new feed every day. This will prevent a sudden partial molt and any possible digestive problems.

Thank you. It's not the transition to layer feed that I was confused about, it was that she told me I could just do the scratch only until they were able to have the layer feed

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you. It's not the transition to layer feed that I was confused about, it was that she told me I could just do the scratch only until they were able to have the layer feed

That was bad advice -- risking depriving growing birds of critical nutrients.

If you don't want to buy more grower before they're old enough for layer you could feed all-flock instead.

In fact, a lot of us never use layer but feed all-flock with oystershell on the side -- either because we have mixed flocks or because we think our birds do better on a slightly higher protein level.

 

[Blondiebird526]

That was bad advice -- risking depriving growing birds of critical nutrients.

If you don't want to buy more grower before they're old enough for layer you could feed all-flock instead.

In fact, a lot of us never use layer but feed all-flock with oystershell on the side -- either because we have mixed flocks or because we think our birds do better on a slightly higher protein level.

Ok, it sounded weird to me, which was why I asked. Thank you!

 

[3KillerBs]

Ok, it sounded weird to me, which was why I asked. Thank you!

Sometimes it's good to trust your instincts.

 

[Lor]

Thank you. It's not the transition to layer feed that I was confused about, it was that she told me I could just do the scratch only until they were able to have the layer feed

Yes. That doesn't make any sense. Glad you aren't following that advice.