Still can't decide when to switch from starter/grower to layer...

[FirewifeJess]

I currently have a dozen pullets: 7 - 19 week olds who are getting ready to lay (checking out nest boxes, squatting, rearranging straw in the boxes, etc), an 18 week old, 2 - 16/17 weekers, and two 9.5 week olds. I know that with the oldest 10 girls, all 16-19 weeks old, I could switch to layer feed and stop worrying about this at all. But taking into account I have those 2 young 9.5 week olds, I don't know what to buy next. Should I try flock raiser with a side of oyster shell? Right now everyone has free access to the starter/grower, grit, oyster shell, and occasional treats. Would/could it really hurt those two young girls if I just switch to Layer and forget about all of this feed nonsense? I don't want to hurt them but I also think stressing over feeding chickens is stupid. Someone, please tell me what to do

 

[Joe.G]

Keep everyone on Grower or Flock Raiser for another month or so, You are not hurting anyone by keeping them on this food, But switching to layer may hurt the young ones, By feeding them all layer isn't going to make your chicken drop dead but it may or may not cause some health problems down the road.

Keep Oyster Shells on the side. Right now I have chickens that are 2 Years old, 20 Weeks Old, and 8 Weeks Old, I feed them all grower or Flock Raiser and Grit and Oyster Shells free choice.

 

[RulerOfTheSkies]

i would slowly introduce them to to it a little at a time, before they stat laying eggs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The normal way to handle a mixed age flock like that is to do what Joe G said. Keep feeding the food that is suitable for the chicks and offer oyster shell on the side. The ones that need it for the egg shells should eat it and the ones that don't need it won't eat enough to damage themselves.

I usually use 16% Grower instead of the 20% Starter/Grower but that really does not matter. It's just personal preference. But you should not feed the Layer to growing chicks. It can damage their internal organs.

The studies that show feeding Layer with the extra calcium all start with feeding nothing but Layer from Day 1. In those studies, they cut the chicks open to see the damage the extra calciumn causes. I am not aware of any studies that show what happens when you start the Layer at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, anything like that. There was a study in Canada that started at 15 weeks, but it was looking at something else. I don't know at what age the risk of damamging their kidneys and liver is over. I suspect the older they are, the less the risk. There is probably not a magic age, just a decrease in risk.

It also makes a difference whether they exclusively eat the Layer feed or if they forage for some of their food. It's not really about the percentage of calcium in some of their diet, it's about the total amount of calcium they eat daily. And it is not about one day. One bite won't kill them. It is about what they eat over a period of time.

I agree you should not stress over something as simple as food. Excess calcium has been proven to cause problems. The simple stress-free solution is to offer oystrer shell on the side.

 

[Egg Lover]

Great info here, thanks to all. Our girls are only a week apart, we'll switch them over together when it's time.