Layer Pellets: HOW?

[erinc]

Today was the day! we got our first egg! Shadow, our most vocal hen laid her first egg today, she is thought to be 18 weeks this coming weekend so I believe we are right on schedule. Now comes the tricky part. I've been quite dreading this part because it is of thee unknown to me. How do we get her just to eat the layer pellets and oyster shells, WITHOUT SEPARATION!! Honestly we do not have space for that, I know I know, you should consider ever little detail. But will it really hurt the other hens, we have 2 more Isa Browns at the same age, and 2 EE's a few weeks younger, to start eating the layer pellets now? And the oyster shells? We also have a rooster..how do we keep him out of the food? This is going to be quite the job, but totally worth it! I wasn't sure this day was ever going to come! We were all so excited this morning. My fiance woke me up this morning, egg in hand, ready to show the world. He was shaking he was so excited! Like a kid on Christmas!
It was so clean too! She did a great job.

 

[Pork Pie]

You can happily continue with the growers food and put the oyster shell in a separate feeder. Only your laying girl is likely to consume any oyster shell (don't panic if the others peck at it now and again though).

CT

 

[erinc]

You can happily continue with the growers food and put the oyster shell in a separate feeder. Only your laying girl is likely to consume any oyster shell (don't panic if the others peck at it now and again though). 

CT

So we shouldn't really worry much about switching their food until all are laying? That puts me more at ease. And do you recommend grinding egg shells too? I've been saving a few already that I've got on hand. What about our Rooster?! Will he be okay?

 

[PingoBags]

You can probably switch to layer now.

If you have a mixed age flock, just stick with grower and add a source of calcium.
Some even stick with grower and feed calcium separately and never switch to layer.
As long as the layers can get their calcium intake, I guess it wouldn't matter.

Some say a roo shouldn't have calcium, some say it doesn't matter.

I like the idea of just sticking to grower and adding calcium, that way you cover all your bases and everyone is happy and healthy.
Where I get my feed, the ingredients for layer and grower are almost the same, just added calcium that makes it different.

 

[erinc]

You can probably switch to layer now. 

If you have a mixed age flock, just stick with grower and add a source of calcium.
Some even stick with grower and feed calcium separately and never switch to layer.
As long as the layers can get their calcium intake, I guess it wouldn't matter.

Some say a roo shouldn't have calcium, some say it doesn't matter. 

I like the idea of just sticking to grower and adding calcium, that way you cover all your bases and everyone is happy and healthy.
Where I get my feed, the ingredients for layer and grower are almost the same, just added calcium that makes it different.

So by adding the oyster shells I am adding calcium?! And that is all I need to do?

 

[junebuggena]

So we shouldn't really worry much about switching their food until all are laying? That puts me more at ease. And do you recommend grinding egg shells too? I've been saving a few already that I've got on hand. What about our Rooster?! Will he be okay?

Honestly, you don't ever need to feed layers. It doesn't have any magic ingredient in it. Just less protein and lots more calcium.

So by adding the oyster shells I am adding calcium?! And that is all I need to do?

Yep. That's all.

 

[PingoBags]

Yea just oyster shells. Egg shell is also a source.