Question about the transition from starter/grower to laying ration

[MirPanda]

Hey all.
My pullets are about 19 weeks old, one is about a month older though she's the same size as she was transitioned into the flock later. I've had them on callahan's' starter'grower ration since chickdom (it's a medicated feed at 18 0r 19% protein recommended to be used as a grower developer as well as a chick starter)

. I'd like to transition to layer ration around the 19th of this month, they'll be 21 weeks old give or take. However i'm about out of feed now, so should i just suck it up, get another bag of grower and transition whenever that's done... or can i give layer a little early?
They're growing in their last 'baby' feathers, looking a little wide in the hips, making more clucking than peeping sounds, but have seen no sign yet of this 'squatting' people speak of, or any eggs to speak of.

is the general rule to switch to layer feed when they start laying or when they reach a certain age.

Any advice would be great!

thanks!
miranda

 

[gritsar]

18 to 20 weeks is the general rule. I would have liked to make a gradual transition, but my chooks were out of starter/grower at 19 weeks (when my first pullet started laying), so they went straight to the layer pellets. They loved the pellets then, they love them now.
So, transition if you have some starter/grower left, but otherwise I'd go ahead and start them on the layer.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I would transition them to the layer feed now while you still have some grower. It's easier on them if they slowly go into the layer feed rather than abruptly.