Tale of two situations......

[aart]

Layer feed is higher protein than grower. Granted, it's only a tiny bit higher, but... that may have a bit enough of an effect to make a difference. My birds always lay sooner than those of my friends, though they are same age and get feed from same source. My flock gets fermented feed, which gives them a nutritional advantage.

I always thought just the opposite.....tho some layer feeds are 18% and can be higher, but it's rare.
Gotta read the labels.

 

[lazy gardener]

I always thought just the opposite.....tho some layer feeds are 18% and can be higher, but it's rare.
Gotta read the labels.

The grower I'm familiar with is 15% protein. But, starter/grower is higher. Layer is typically 16%. Product may vary depending on company. I never buy the 15%, b/c I consider it to be inferior, no matter who it's intended for.

 

[Howard E]

For the record......these chicks have been living on Purina feed, purchased from a family run feed store just down the road.

The chick starter was 18% protein.

The grower (flock raiser) they have been on, which I now suspect was the wrong stuff, was 20% protein and low calcium (around 1%)

The layer stuff they are now being transitioned to is 16%. protein and about 4% calcium.

As per Purina, for layers, they would have you feed the chick starter exclusively (never use the meat bird grower stuff) until about 18 weeks, at which time you transition them over to the layer feed. I've seen other feed suppliers suggest you start transitioning them over to layer feed at 16 weeks.

Whatever the case, these 14 birds were raised together until age 15 weeks, at which time 4 of them were moved elsewhere and put on layer feed (not Purina). Those 4 are now laying 3 eggs per day and have been for the past week or so. The remaining 10 were left on the grower feed until yesterday when I started transitioning them over to the layer feed. Of those, we are getting 1 egg per day and have only gotten 3 eggs total from them. Not bothering me any.....they start when they start......but found it an interesting thing to see this play out.

Stranger than science. (poultry science

)

 

[Howard E]

One more update and I'll let it go.

About the time of my original post, I went ahead and incorporated layer feed into the ration. That was more or less the same day as the first egg. Since then, the 10 birds are now up to 3 eggs per day, plus I've found a few rubber eggs on the ground. So things are starting to break loose. BTW, birds that are laying are the RIR (same birds as my daughters) and I suspect at least 1 SLW. Several of the rest of them them have started squatting.

So coincidence that the birds started laying within days of the feed change and would have anyway or did the switch to a feed with layer level calcium trigger the response? Were the rubber eggs / shell less eggs due to the low calcium level?

Difficult to say, but based on this in the future I will heed the advice of feed company and make the switch to layer feed at about 18 weeks. Won't hurt and may help.

 

[carlf]

Quote: My vote is coincidence.
Rubber eggs are relatively normal for new layers, nothing to be concerned about.

 

[aart]

Quote:

My vote is coincidence.
Rubber eggs are relatively normal for new layers, nothing to be concerned about.

Ditto Dat^^