Layer feed BEFORE or AFTER Laying?????

[SandyRiverChick]

My 3 - 20week old RIR's are about to lay, they have all of the signs that I've read about on BYC. I am almost out of grower feed and have a nice big bag of layer.... Is it okay? They also eat bugs, weeds, whatever our land privides to them via a few hours of late afternoon, daily ranging.....

Also - I have 3 - 17 week old RIR's - that's the flock, the 6 of them so they all get the same feed. If it's ok for the older girls to get layer feed now, is it also ok for the younger ones or should I stick with grower for all of them (I'm not going to seperate them)? Advice appreciated!!

pic just for fun - sun napping....

 

[Eggs4Sale]

I'm sure someone will disagree, but I'd go ahead and feed them all the layer feed. Just throw some grasses and goodies for extra vitamins if you're not free-ranging them.

 

[cmom]

I have RIR's. If you are almost out o Grower go ahead and start the layer. I had a couple of birds tha t started laying at 17 weeks. Most started from 20 to 24 weeks. From the pictures their combs and wattles aren't very red yet. I use medicated Starter/Grower I feed it to the birds until I get my first egg then I switch over to Layer. If I have any Starter/Grower or Grower left over when I get my first egg, I mix in the leftover feed with the Layer feed. I have never had any problems. The amprollium in the starter helps in the chicks development in their resistance to cocci. It is sulfa based. There is only a problem eating the eggs layed by the birds that have had the medicated feed when they start to lay if you have any alergies to Sulfa.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Thanks for the great pics of your RIR's - they are pretty! My girl in the sun napping pic is only 16 weeks but here is a pic of the 20weekers... Do you think they look ready to lay? I think they are the "production" RIR's now that they are bigger... Do you think so also?

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