Layer Feed before eggs

[Jamespaypay]

Looking for some advice, I’ve rather stupidly been feeding my three hens layer pellets before they have laid their first eggs... we did have them on the grower pellets for a while but I wasn’t aware that the layer pellets should not be fed until your first egg. It’s now about 19 weeks in and no eggs... do we carry on with layer pellets or switch back to the grower?

 

[DobieLover]

Looking for some advice, I’ve rather stupidly been feeding my three hens layer pellets before they have laid their first eggs... we did have them on the grower pellets for a while but I wasn’t aware that the layer pellets should not be fed until your first egg. It’s now about 19 weeks in and no eggs... do we carry on with layer pellets or switch back to the grower?

I would switch back to grower, or put them on a good Starter or feed Flock Raiser or All Flock and put out a couple containers of oyster shell. The layer mixes have inadequate levels of protein IMO and there will be many times during a hen's life where she does not need the extra calcium that is found in layer feeds.