nest box question

[Keene's coop]

when should i introduce a nest box for my girls? i know for sure one of my girls is 16 weeks today. and i think 3 of them are not far behind in age, and 1 is unknown. and when they start to lay, how do feed them with them being different ages? should i just keep feeding them grower or should i switch when i find the first egg? i'm just really confused about feeding hens that are different ages.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Keene's coop :

when should i introduce a nest box for my girls? i know for sure one of my girls is 16 weeks today. and i think 3 of them are not far behind in age, and 1 is unknown. and when they start to lay, how do feed them with them being different ages? should i just keep feeding them grower or should i switch when i find the first egg? i'm just really confused about feeding hens that are different ages.

You should introduce the nesting boxes to them NOW! Drop a golf balls or ceramic egg in each nest and they'll begin exploring them. It could be any time now! You didn't say what the ages of the other ones are, but if it's within a few weeks of the 16 week old, you can safely switch over to layer feed when you find the first egg. Provide extra calcium for them in the form of oyster shell too. They'll take it only when they need it for strong shells. Layer ration contains calcium, but they know when they need more.​

 

[Jx2inNC]

I didn't do anything for ours.
The boxes went in several weeks before they started laying (maybe 1-2 months, actually) and they just starting laying them in there on their own. There is nothing else around near as close of an option, so I suppose this is why.
I've only found 1 egg outside of the boxes since then, and that chicken has since begun laying in the boxes every time.

 

[fordmommy]

I start introducing around 16-18 weeks.

 

[Keene's coop]

thanks