switching feed

[Roadstump]

What are the general opinions of when to switch layers from Chick Starter (18% protein) to regular layer feed? I am getting conflicting ideas.

Also, my hens are 8 weeks old now and spend the daylight hours in a run made up with sand and dirt floor, when do you start putting out grit? what kind? granite. oyster shell?

This is probably been asked 1000 times but I figure there are not many subjects that have not already been hashed out so why not ask again.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I switch mine about 16-20 weeks depending on when they go in the layer pen.

I've never used grit, my chickens free range and I figure they can get all they need from out there.

Oyster shell is for adding calcium, not the same as grit. I have Oyster shell free feed all the time in the layer coop.


Hope this helps!

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
I usually start mine on it at around 18 weeks. If I feed my anything besides their chick starter, scrambled eggs or yogourt they get grit!!

 

[Junkmanme]

I'd say that you can switch to Layer feed anytime between 16 weeks and 20 weeks. By that time the Pullets are pretty-much matured. I mix the two together for the first week of switching over.

I don't use "grit" or "oyster-shell". For "grit", I just throw a bag of medium "play-sand" out into their run occasionally. For additional Calcium, rather than buying "oyster-shell" - which isn't common in land-locked New Mexico - I just save up their egg-shells and pulverize them in an old cheap electric "Coffee Grinder" (which I also use to grind "dried chiles" for Seasonings). Generally, however, I think that the "Layer Feed" has enough Calcium for the laying hens.

just HOW I do it,

-Junkmanme-