What age do I switch from starter to grower then laying feed?

[Tiffchick88]

My chicks are almost 3 weeks old when do I need to start switching their feed. They are growing and developing alot of feathers now. Also when can I start on oyster shells to help with laying?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I never switch to layer...

I use flock raiser with 20% protein for ALL my birds and offer oyster shell on the side free choice for those who need it.

Starter, grower, layer... all confusing terms that have NO baring. The main difference in any of them is calcium and protein levels.

Most chicken won't lay before 16 weeks and more likely closer to 20... though some will be later than that in many instances. When they do start laying then they will need about 4% calcium or the free choice side of it.

 

[Gray Farms]

Switch to layer and oyster shell when they start laying.

 

[Blooie]

I never used layer either. I had a mixed flock of various ages of chicks, roosters and layers and even if I could have afforded three separate kinds of chicken food, I wouldn't have been able to keep them out of each other's food pans. So I fed either All Flock or Grower.....I liked the higher protein content and they seemed to appreciate it too! It's a 50 mile drive one way to get to our nearest food store, so I bought whichever of the two they had. I provided oyster shell in a separate container and they thrived. This switching foods from one age to the next gets confusing and expensive, so I skipped it.

 

[Welshies]

Don't use layer. This is why.

 

[lazy gardener]

I do use layer, and start it any time after the pullets get their cluck.

 

[PirateGirl]

You can probably switch to "grower" (all feeds are different) whenever your "starter" bag is empty. They can stay on grower for a long time. Don't offer layer or oyster shells on the side until you start to see big comb and wattle development and squatting behavior. Look up chicken squatting on youtube and I'm sure you can find a video. It's very obvious when they do it the first time. My first one even flapped her wings and made a big show of it. The actual age is different for all birds and will also depend on day length, so watch them for signs that they are ready to lay instead of just going by number of weeks of age.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

you start to see big comb and wattle development and squatting behavior.

Squatting behavior can take place up to a whole month before I ever see an egg.

And not ALL girls WILL do it. I have several who never have. It is fun to try and get them to though.

And squatting makes it easier to catch them.

When I did have only layers I switched to layer feed as directed by the feed store and feed bags. I didn't have any issues. It just isn't my current choice with the information I have AND I also have many ages and genders that I didn't back then.

You will see so many suggestions.. which are probably all fine even if don't I agree with them. Weigh your goals and the info receive and adjust when needed. My thought process changes sometimes and so might my choice. My protein % might be dictated by what breeds I keep. I will go ahead and include ONE of the guidelines I use. (note a misprint says 5-17% that should say 15-17%)...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf

Congrats on finding your way to the wide and wonderful world of chickeneering! Your adventure is just beginning and I hope it's fantastic!

 

[PirateGirl]

@EggSighted4Life I definitely had a surprise layer recently, who I still have never seen squat, but I know it's her because of the egg color (and recently witnessed her in the nest box laying). You are right, the squat might not mean squat

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@EggSighted4Life I definitely had a surprise layer recently, who I still have never seen squat, but I know it's her because of the egg color (and recently witnessed her in the nest box laying). You are right, the squat might not mean squat

I can't help it... I LIKE word play!

Good one.