Raising different breeds

[Retiree2013]

ur birds are about 17 weeks old. Problem is we have reds , easter eggers and 1 sussex hen. I am a bit confused on when to start laying mash. Is it ok to keep all chickens on medicated grow until they ALL start laying. Will I ned to seperate. OR hope , since winter is coming that they all start in the spring...

 

[CluckerFamily]

I keep them on starter until they all start laying. I provide free choice grit in a container and free choice oyster shells in a container.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I keep them on starter until they all start laying. I provide free choice grit in a container and free choice oyster shells in a container.

Yes, personally I feel this is the way to do it

 

[Jabebee13]

Yes I believe spring since they are 17 weeks now. I can't do the chicken math. .. they are now 4 months almost. I heard some lay eggs by six months. Or later. One Sussex. Are you going to make more Sussex by hatching? I'm just looking for friends who are like minded.

 

[Retiree2013]

Appreciate the feedback. My grandchildren are anxious to see green eggs. Guess they will wait until spring.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Lots of different questions here. To start with, there is no telling when they will start to lay. I've had pullets start to lay at 16 weeks, some wait until 9 months. In my opinion breed is not that important to this, I've had the same breed with totally different laying starts, even when the same age and raised together. I suggest do not pay much attention to breed in this. I've had pullets start laying in the fall of the year they hatched. I've had pullets start laying the first of December, during the shortest days of the year. I've had some wait until the longer days of spring. I've had pullets and hens lay during the shorter days of winter, they do not need 14 or 16 hours of daylight to lay. In my experience they lay when they lay. There are no rules.

Is it ok to keep all chickens on medicated grow until they ALL start laying.

When you talk about medicine I like to know what medicine you are talking about. I notice a difference in aspirin and ex-lax. The type of medicine in medicated feed should be on the label. Most medicated feed in the US uses Amprolium as the active ingredient. Most does not mean all, there can be others. I'll talk about Amprolium since it is most common but what I say won't apply if it is something else. Amprolium is not an antibiotic, it is a thiamine blocker that disrupts the reproductive cycle of the bug that causes Coccidiosis. According to the USDA there is no withdrawal time for the use of the eggs. To translate that into English, as long as the medicine is Amprolium you can feed that medicated feed to them until they start to lay and even after they start.

I am a bit confused on when to start laying mash.

Understandable, you hear so many different stories on that. It can get complicated too. The commercial operations start feeding it at 18 weeks, that's why it is possibly shown on the bag that way. The commercial operations know when their pullets will start to lay, they control that by breeding and by manipulating lights. We don't know when they will start because we don't manage them that way.

The main difference in Layer and other feeds like Grower is percent calcium. If Layer is all they eat then they will get all the calcium they need from that. But if they forage for some of their food or you give them many other things they eat they may not get all the calcium they need for egg shells. Too much calcium when they are not laying can possibly, might, sometimes hurt them. It can mess with internal organs like the liver or kidneys. Doesn't always but it can. They probably should not get Layer until they start to lay.

The way I manage that is to feed Grower all the time with oyster shell offered on the side. The ones that need the extra calcium seem to know it and eat what they need. The ones that don't need it for egg shells may take an occasional bite but don't eat enough to harm themselves. That way I don't have to worry about it. I never feed Layer.

 

[Aapomp831]

I start mine on layer feed at 18 weeks. It’s perfectly fine to start them before they lay.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I always followed the instructions on the feed bags & marked my calendar accordingly. I never used the feed with medicine, never had illness.

 

[Retiree2013]

Amprolium is the med in the Purina start and grow that we have been giving our chickens. I have also been adding diatomaceous dirt in their bedding and 1% in their feed. I had never heard of this before but found ti to be good for parasites and fleas.