They are 18!

[John Sanders]

I changed their food from grower crumbles to layer pellets. They feel like big girls now.

 

[sourland]

Teenagers filled with all the hormones of developing young ladies.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

That's cool.

I don't switch to layer until ALL girls are laying. Especially this time of year, some won't start laying until 24+ weeks and they don't need the extra calcium before that. I provide oyster shell on the side around that age so that anyone who does start laying will have access to it.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I concur with @EggSighted4Life... My girls are between 30 and 23 weeks and are still on grower. I may not go to layer at all, as they have oyster shell available whenever they feel they need it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I may not go to layer at all

OK, that is actually more my reality!

It's true I don't use layer, but flock raiser with 20% protein because my chooks are dual purpose breeds that do better with higher protein than light bodied layers. Plus it's been shown to give better hatch rates and chick vitality and I breed. Which also means I constantly have chicks, teens, molting hens, roosters, and broody's. Too much calcium fed long term to NON layers *can* (doesn't mean will) cause kidney issues/gout.

Really, all those labels are just confusing because different companies use different words like layer, grower, all flock. The only thing that really matters is nutrient content. Mostly the protein and the calcium. Really your birds may be fine no matter what you feed as long as it is a formulated ration for chickens. I just know too much and seek a happy medium.