Just some general questions....

[newchik715]

So three of my girls are nice and red. They are almost twenty weeks old now and they have squatted and spread their wings slightly...all the typical signs I have read about but no eggs? Do they do these things weeks in advance or is it more like just days before point of lay? If I put fake eggs in the nest boxes will it clue them in do you think? Should I switch to layer feed and oyster shells now or wait for the first egg?

 

[dieselgrl48]

I never added any layer feed in unless the bird was actualy laying egg's.Feeding young bird's or chicks can cause damage if they are not actualy producing egg's.It can cause internal bleeding in chicks or very young.Actualy I don't even buy layer feed anymore for my hen's.A good natural supplement like oyster shell or or dried egg shell's is organic and does just as well. Unless they are totaly housed without acess to outside and able to scratch and forage they shouldn't need all the bell's and whistle's.Good natural sources of protien is letting them eat bugs and worm's free ranging or you can give them meal worms which are also good.Chicken's have survived for EON'S and I doubt they had layer feed back then.Sorry Im a bit of a Green person and don't like all these chemicals and horomone's they putting in stuff.