Question about feed and winter

[The Proprietor]

Hi Everyone,
I have a Buff Orpington and a Speckled Sussex. They are 21 weeks now and I just switched them to layer feed, even though they have not started laying yet.
Two questions:
1- Should I have waited to switch them until they started laying ?
2- I live in CT and it is getting cold and the days are getting shorter. Will they begin to lay eggs this time of year or will they wait until the days are longer again.

This is my first winter with the girls and any and all advice is welcome.

Thanks,
Kat

 

[Ridgerunner]

1- Should I have waited to switch them until they started laying ?

Doesn't really matter that much. They'll do fine if you switch them back until they lay. That's what I would personally do. You can keep them on Layer and their body should be able to handle the extra calcium. They are not growing anymore. When they are growing is when the damage is most likely to be done.

2- I live in CT and it is getting cold and the days are getting shorter. Will they begin to lay eggs this time of year or will they wait until the days are longer again.

I wish I knew. It's individual to the specific chicken. I has some that started laying early last December when the days were real short and still getting shorter. Some in that same group waited until February when the days started getting noticeably longer. There is no way to tell what will actually happen with your specific pullets.

 

[The Proprietor]

Thank you, Ridgerunner!
I think I will switch them back. I don't want to stress them with the extra calcium if I don't have to. They've already had enough stress with the hurricane and the weather getting colder.
Thanks, also, for your input on when they will start laying. I was curious. It will be interesting to see what they do.

 

[The Proprietor]

Thanks again for the advice. My chickens ended up answering my question yesterday when I found a beautiful egg in the nest box. It was delicious!

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Thanks again for the advice. My chickens ended up answering my question yesterday when I found a beautiful egg in the nest box. It was delicious!

All my hens and roos get layer feed around 16 weeks or so. depending on when my last bag runs out. Never ever had a problem. I live in SC so doesn't get that cold here. But mine lay all year long.

The first egg is the best egg you will ever have.