Switching to layer pellets

[Patoot]

I don't have an exact age on the girls. My only frame of reference is that the rancher told me they should be laying by the end of September. They are just about out of the grower feed so I was going to buy a bag of layer pellets next to start mixing in and then switching them over completely. My question is that 2 of the 4 seem younger because they are smaller and their combs are very tiny. I have had them for a month and when I got them, he said they were about 3.5 months old. Do you think it's okay to switch now for all of them? I don't want o buy another big bag of grower for only 4 chickens when they probably need the layer soon.

Thanks.

Bree

 

[woodmort]

Feed to the younger birds! The older birds will lay on grower if you give them oyster shells as a free choice in another feeder. On the other hand the calcium in the layer feed is not good for pullets that are not laying--supposedly it harms their kidneys. Feeding layer will not cause your birds to lay so avoid it until they are all laying--they will do it on their timetable not yours. If, at the point they are all laying, you have leftover grower just mix it with the layer until it's gone.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Quote:
Ditto!

 

[Patoot]

Thanks.

Bree