Layer feed?

[Sunnid7296]

My chickens are almost 20 weeks old. When should I start incorporating eggshells and giving them layer feed? They currently free range in the yard get lots of garden produce and greens.

Here are my breeds if that helps:

Cinnamon queen, olive egger. Rhode Island red and black wyandotte.

Im totally new to this and I've read varying articles online and they're all different some say 20 weeks some say 24 or even 28.

Were getting to fall soon and I know they won't lay very much in fall or winter.

Just wondering if I should mix now of course i just bought s big bag of chick food.

Thank you all so much!

 

[thecatumbrella]

Purchase some oyster shell and put a dish on the side for them. Any pullets that start to lay will take from it and get the calcium they need. You can keep everyone on chick feed forever, if you want to.

 

[OnlySympathy]

You don’t have to switch to layer feed. I have only ever fed all flock/chick starter with oyster shells on the side. If you do want to switch to layer feed, there is nothing wrong with it but I would recommend doing some research on it here, then wait until at least half of them but preferably all of them are laying before switching.

We’re getting to fall soon and I know they won't lay very much in fall or winter.

That isn’t always true for pullets. They do lay less but usually you will get something, at least for the majority of the fall/winter