keeping pullets with the rest of the chickens

[Judy]

Very interesting to get your slant on this, Fred. Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[user213590]

Hi thank you.

 

[user213590]

I

The pullets cannot eat the layer feed until they reach 18 weeks of age. Otherwise, it will damage their kidneys, cause problems in their inner organs and halt or delay egg production in the future. So, put them all on your pullet feed until the pullets are 18 weeks. (They can't have direct calcium until they reach 18 weeks either.)

I try and keept e chicks on their proper chick food but when they are ilder they do like to get put and venture a trip or two around the farm each day during good weather.they love to play in the creek.

 

[mandersn]

How can you tell how old your pullets are? I have mine on a organic feed that has calcium in it, after reading your post, Im worried. I bought these chicken 2 weeks ago and the person I bought them from said they were about 5 weeks away from laying. Wouldn't that make them around 18 weeks old. this is all so new to me, Help!!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

How can you tell how old your pullets are? I have mine on a organic feed that has calcium in it, after reading your post, Im worried. I bought these chicken 2 weeks ago and the person I bought them from said they were about 5 weeks away from laying. Wouldn't that make them around 18 weeks old. this is all so new to me, Help!!

First of all, you can try posting a pic here and that can help all of us determine their ages. If the person you bought them from said they were five weeks away from laying then, they should probable be on the layer feed now. If you are still wondering about age look at the combs and wattles. Are they red and big? Are the hens performing the egg squat? (They will squat down, hold their wings apart from their body and wait for a "rooster" to mount.) If so, then they are very close to laying.

 

[Judy]

Chick feed has calcium in it, too, just not nearly as much as layer feed. I't something like 2% for chicks and 5% for laers -- that's approximate. Your feed should be labeled "layer" or "grower" or whateveer group it's formulated for. Honestly, I would not buy "chicken feed" if it's not. I have actually seen bags of nothing but cracked corn labeled "chicken feed" locally.

This article about gout explains how calcium in feed should work:

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36

 

[mandersn]

Hers a pic I think I have pulleys of various ages.

 

[smarsh]

not too clear a picture, but the red one against the back wall looks like a rooster. none of these are too close to laying, look about the same age as my pullet at 12 weeks, maybe as much as 16 weeks.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I would guess around 12 weeks too. I'd put them on grower and save the layer for when it runs out. They looks a ways off from laying.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Hers a pic I think I have pulleys of various ages.

Those look to be about 12-15 weeks old. Keep them on their grower/starter until they reach 18 weeks.