Wattle and crown

[jotebo]

I received pullets via mail order. The Black Australorp only has a black stubble for a crown (hardly anything at all) and the Buff Orpington has a very small one and on the pinkish side. They seem to act fine. Is it because the are young? They were supposed to be between 15 and 22 weeks. I am feeding them laying pellets. Where I live there is no field for foraging, only pea rock, I plan on planting a sod patch for them. As you can see I am totally new to this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The comb won't look like much till they're sexually mature. Don't anticipate egg laying until it actually commences. Unless they are actively laying, which I doubt they are, don't feed layer pellets.
They're not making egg shells so the 4X calcium content isn't good for them.
Put it away and switch back to a grower or finisher feed and you can use the layer when they're all laying. When you get the first egg, give them oyster shell in a separate container.

 

[jotebo]

Thank you so much for your help. I will go get some grower feed tomorrow. Is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[theoldchick]

20 week old Jersey Giants. Tiny wattles and comb. The color is washed out by the camera flash.





24 weeks old. Starting to develop color and size.




27 weeks.Much more developed and pullet is at point of lay.



28 weeks and in the nest box.


Hens develop quickly one puberty starts. They appear to change on a daily basis. However you will run into individuals who don't meet the norm.

This is a 27 week pullet:

She was much more developed than her sister.






Here's a cockerel at the same age.

 

[jotebo]

Thank you very much. I couldn't of asked for more. You girl is very beautiful.
I can see I have very young hens. Them being so young I should have never been told to start them on laying pellets.
Thank you again

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The advice to go to layer pellets at that age is common but this time of year they don't start laying as early so rather than start feeding layer at 18-20 weeks, one should always wait till commencement of lay.
Before the recent resurgence of backyard chickens most chickens were either on broiler farms where they are fed grower and finisher, commercial egg farms where onset of lay is controlled by lighting and they can start them all on layer at the same time because they can predict within a few days when they will lay or on small farms where people knew how to care for them and didn't rely on the chick or feed supplier to inform them what to feed.

By the way old chick, great progression of pics.

 

[lrayle]

Can you mix the oyster shell with their scratch feed or does it have to be seperate

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It needs to be separate. They need to choose to eat it. If you mix it with anything, that won't help. Even if they can pick out the grain, it will still be coated with oyster shell dust.
I use something like this for oyster shell and grit.

http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/plastic-cage-cup-1-pint-capacity/watering-cage-cups