Sticking with grower ?

[kubaduba1]

Hello I'm using 20%grower kalmbach. They are 6 months old. I get about 3 eggs a day and some days recently no eggs from the same layers .

They do have free choice of grit and crushed oyster shells. Out of 11 birds only 3 are laying so far but I used to get 5 a day from other chickens.

It has been 98 degrees here in Florida
A couple did have sour crop and one had sand impacted which I did cure that's to this forum.

Do I need to switch the layer because it's cheaper and already has the calcium?

Grower costs a bit more that layer .

Thank you very much !

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Need? No.

Can you? Yes.

Switching to layer won't improve their rate of lay. According to studies, it will actually reduce their rate of lay (by 1-3% - not enough to notice in a backyard flock, that's a handful of eggs, per chicken, per year!). It will reduce costs some.

Heat can negatively impact, obviously illness and injury can negatively impact. Depending on management, you may need to look for hidden nests (obviously if they are kept contained, that's probably not an issue unless you have a raised coop you can't easily look under). Stress can also impact rate of lay - predator attacks (or attempts) being most common.

Lots of potential causes. Mostly, the posters most active on the BYC Feed forums recommend feeding an All Flock/Flock Raiser type feed (and grower formulations generally fall in that category) to all your birds, at all ages and genders, all their lives. If you choose to do otherwise, you aren't doing it wrong, merely differently.

Cost is always a consideration, of course, but how much of a consideration is a highly individual decision.

 

[kubaduba1]

Need? No.

Can you? Yes.

Switching to layer won't improve their rate of lay. According to studies, it will actually reduce their rate of lay (by 1-3% - not enough to notice in a backyard flock, that's a handful of eggs, per chicken, per year!). It will reduce costs some.

Heat can negatively impact, obviously illness and injury can negatively impact. Depending on management, you may need to look for hidden nests (obviously if they are kept contained, that's probably not an issue unless you have a raised coop you can't easily look under). Stress can also impact rate of lay - predator attacks (or attempts) being most common.

Lots of potential causes. Mostly, the posters most active on the BYC Feed forums recommend feeding an All Flock/Flock Raiser type feed (and grower formulations generally fall in that category) to all your birds, at all ages and genders, all their lives. If you choose to do otherwise, you aren't doing it wrong, merely differently.

Cost is always a consideration, of course, but how much of a consideration is a highly individual decision.

Thank you for the quick and detailed the response. I think I will stick with what is working. It does have more protein and my chickens love it.

Thank you !

 

[Tattersail]

This thread is very timely. We actually ordered grower instead of layer feed and we're wondering whether it was still OK to give it. Our hens started laying 2 weeks ago and were worried that this was detrimental to them.

 

[Sussex19]

This thread is very timely. We actually ordered grower instead of layer feed and we're wondering whether it was still OK to give it. Our hens started laying 2 weeks ago and were worried that this was detrimental to them.

Definitely fine to feed it, just make sure they have oyster shell freely available

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Out of 11 birds only 3 are laying so far but I used to get 5 a day from other chickens.

If only three birds are laying, then three eggs a day would be expected.