We just got our first egg! Should we change feed?

[CA Bean]

We are so excited we just got our first egg today! My chickens are 5 months old and 1 out of 16 gals laid an egg. Should I go and change feed now to layers mix or finish bag of Medicated starter ( amprolium) ? We plan to have baby chicks too with some of these so I could always use the starter mix or maybe the others won't lay for another month? I think atleast I need to get some oyster shell right?
TIA!

 

[cw]

i believe you could do what you want there finish the bag our, start em on layers feed choice is yours

 

[skeeter]

if you dont use the starter it may mold then you cant feed it,i would feed the starter and layer feed mixed untill the starter ran out,I dont feed oyster shell but if you are going too,now would be a good time to start

 

[Akane]

If your not going to have chicks in the next few weeks to month I'd just use up the starter while giving oyster shell for calcium. Feeding it longer by mixing the 2 is not really going to help and I've heard feeding the medicated too long can cause vitamin deficiency. I might mix it for a few days or a week to switch them over but that's it. If you have more than that left feed it out and then buy layer. If in the future you have chicks in with adults you can feed flock raiser or a similar all purpose poultry feed with oyster shell for the layers.

 

[jvls1942]

It will not take long to use up a bag of feed with 16 chickens.. use up the feed and then switch to the layer feed..oyster shells are not an emergency just yet.. If the egg shells were not forming or extremely thin and fragile then oyster shells would be an immediate concern.. you could present some oyster shells free choice.. do not be alarmed if the chickens do not eat them all up, or if they do eat them up, either way..
they will not OD on them..their bodies will tell them when they have had enough..

If you are planning to hatch some of their eggs, wait until they are laying for awhile..pullet eggs usually are not the best for hatching..

 

[CA Bean]

Thanks all. I think I will just finish what I have and put out oyster shells. Got another egg this morning so we are really excited. Egg seemed fine. Now off to find out more info on Rooster behavior. Seems like my 2 keep interrupting eachother when they are trying to mate. I guess I don't really know which one is the head one then.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
watch your roosters more closely..
the dominant one will chase the dominated one off, but rarely will it be the lesser one chasing the alpha..

If you want fertile eggs, and you have 10 hens or less, remove one or the other of the roosters.. you only have to separate them long enough to collect as many eggs as you need, say like a week or two..

 

[redoak]

Congrats on your first egg

 

[CA Bean]

Quote:
THanks! We are sooo soo so excited and can't wait for the others to start laying. Heehe!

 

[KareyABohr]

About your Rooster...
I have had the exact same thing happen to me when the hen seems to be the dominant one in the bunch!
What I have found with my flock of dual purpose birds, first Plymouth whites and now I have Delawares, is that it is kind of like when humans start 'breeding'. The males are a little clumsy and unsure of themselves. Give him a month or two and he'll get the hang of it!