⠀ What effect does Layena have on younger birds that eat it...

[casportpony]

Once your peafowl have reached the age of 8 or 10 weeks, they can be transitioned from gamebird/turkey starter to a chicken starter/grower feed (such as FlockRaiser) and can eat this until they are ready to lay.

Thanks... Now I need to figure out how to get fresh bags of it as it's not very popular here and often I see bags for sale that are six months old.

-Kathy

 

[DrMikelleRoeder]

You could also feed the gamebird starter a little longer -- to about 12-14 weeks -- and then transition to Start&Grow if that helps with the age of the product.

 

[hmbrown05]

Would you recommend the Flock Raiser for a mixed age flock of backyard chickens with calcium supplementation made available just free choice? The bag no longer recommends for a mixed age flock and I was curious why. I have two clutches of chicks ranging from 10-13 weeks that have recently integrated back with the flock (with their hens) and I need a feed program to blanket everyone safely. I only have 4 out of 25 actively laying currently.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have a question about a concern I have with the recommendation of starting layer at 18 weeks.
Commercial flocks, especially in black out housing are on a strict lighting program with flocks of early maturing birds all the same age. With this, they can predict that all the birds will be laying within a week or two of each other. They also keep only leghorn based or other high producing hybrids.
Not all breeds that many small holders keep mature as early as egg hybrids. Backyard and small holders, don't have strict lighting programs, have various amounts of light entering the coop and get their birds out at different times in the morning possibly limiting light reaching the pineal gland. Additionally, birds reaching laying age in the fall or winter may not start laying till they're 26-30 weeks or even longer.
My thought is that starting them on 4% calcium for birds that may not lay for months could be premature.

ETA
I say this because of the spate of posts about birds 7, 9, 11 months of age and still not laying, especially this time of year.

 

[DrMikelleRoeder]

While there is some variation in age at lay among breeds, 18 weeks is generally a safe recommendation for most chicken breeds. The kidneys are more developed by that age and the birds have a greater ability to tolerate variations in dietary calcium. However, if you know that your birds will reach laying age in the fall/winter and you do not intend to supply the consistent supplemental lighting necessary to support egg production, then it would be wise to keep them on a starter/grower feed until daylight begins to naturally lengthen in the spring or until you see the first egg, whichever comes first.