risks of feeding chicks layers pellets

[donrae]

Your birds don't need the medicated feed near that long. Just plain starter or grower will be fine.

 

[whittychick]

I have 10 girls and just started laying crumble...only 2 of them are laying and the other 8 are about 20 weeks. They are molting so I'm guessing that's why they aren't laying yet??? I do not provide heat or lighting either. Why aren't they laying?!!!! Too cold? I live on cape cod and days are about 20-25 degrees and at night 10-20 degrees. Advice pleaseeee!

 

[whittychick]

Oh and my 2 layers are 8-9 months old...however they haven't laid in about 2 months!! They are happy as can be tho! Is this normal?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

So then would you also not feed layer feed if you have a rooster in the mix? ....

Roosters are also fed layer. It is like WAY WAY to much trouble in a commercial or back yard flock to separate the sexes at feeding time only to recombine the flock a few minutes later.

Have no fear, your rooster will not take up flower arranging or knitting if he eats laying pellets.

 

[hosspak]

Have no fear, your rooster will not take up flower arranging or knitting if he eats laying pellets.

WHAT????? My Roo's won't be singing show tunes and start tap dancing and doing Bette Midler impersonations?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have 10 girls and just started laying crumble...only 2 of them are laying ... I do not provide heat or lighting...

It is natural for chickens to lay when they have 14 or more hours of natural or of artificial light.


It is natural for chickens to not lay when they have fewer than 14 hours of light. Both options (to light the coop or not to light the coop) are natural to a chicken.

As of December 21 of this year you can expect a few minutes over 9 hours of daylight in your location.

You currently have a light deficit of 5 hours.

 

[hosspak]

Oh and my 2 layers are 8-9 months old...however they haven't laid in about 2 months!! They are happy as can be tho! Is this normal?

I have learned in my 8 months of chicken ranching that there is no "normal" when it comes to chickens. They will lay when they are ready or when they feel like it. I have 3 that have stopped laying, I have 3 that have just started laying and 2 that lay every 2 or 3 days... When you see something that looks like a serious health issue and research BYC for a cause and you start to worry because you read that your favorite hen has something horrible and will surely die a horrible painful death, the next day whatever it was that you think you saw is gone and the hen is running around as if nothing had happened. Now, that is normal....

 

[hosspak]

I have 10 girls and just started laying crumble...only 2 of them are laying and the other 8 are about 20 weeks. They are molting so I'm guessing that's why they aren't laying yet??? I do not provide heat or lighting either. Why aren't they laying?!!!! Too cold? I live on cape cod and days are about 20-25 degrees and at night 10-20 degrees. Advice pleaseeee!

Get a feed with higher protein. To supplement the feather rebuilding and growth. My feed store has a turkey krackett that is 21% protein. Don't worry about the eggs during molts or winter, let the birds get healthy and strong. The eggs will come soon enough.

 

[whittychick]

Thanks for the advice! Next time I buy feed I'll buy game bird with higher protein!

 

[appps]

We bought 11 week olds that had been kept on layer pellets. One developed leg problems (would sit even to eat) that cleared up after a couple weeks off the layer pellets. Google found me links relating the high calcium to problems with rickets.