What should I do?

[ging3rhoffman]

I have 17 week old hens, 15 week old hens and 13 week old hens all together.
Do i just mix the layer feed with their starter/grower feed? Can i go ahead and put their oyster shell out?

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Now that sounds like a good plan. The birds are close in ages, complicating things.
But yeah, mix the feed as you propose and put out oyster free choice.
As the elders approach laying, they have the choice of the oyster to augment their calcium intake.
But they youngers won't have an excess of it in their feed when they are not ready to lay.

Or you could just feed the grower and place the oyster out for them. Once they are all laying switch to layer if you like.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think I'd hold off on the layer and oyster shell until I saw the first egg. It could easily still be a few weeks. Then, once I saw the first egg, start mixing the grower and layer feeds and offer oyster shell free choice. A usual recommendation is to start the layer at week 20 or when you see the first egg.

The following is an excerpt from an Oregon State article on feeding chickens. As you can see, the only difference in grower and layer is that level of protein and that layer contains extra calcium. Also, you don't have to automatically offer oyster shell. It won't hurt once they start laying, but they may not need it. And I would not mix oyster shell with their feed. Always offer it free choice. Why force excess minerals into their system if they don't need it. I'll include a link in case you want to see the entire article.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/pnw/pnw477/#anchor1132074

Layer feeds are formulated for chickens that are laying table eggs (those used for food). Layer feeds contain about 16 percent protein and extra calcium so the chickens will lay eggs with strong shells. Start feeding layer feeds at about 20 weeks of age or when the first egg is laid, whichever occurs first.

You also may give both laying and breeding chickens access to ground oyster shell. Some high-producing laying birds may require the extra calcium provided by oyster shell, even though the prepared diet is a complete feed. The need to feed oyster shell can be determined by shell quality. If eggs are laid with thin shells that are easily cracked or shells that are rough with almost a sandpaper feel, oyster shell may help to increase shell strength and quality. When feeding oyster shell, provide a separate feeder allowing free choice feeding on oyster shell.

I remember when you were trying to decide which breeds to get, especially which breed for a rooster. It doesn't seem like that long ago. They do grow fast don't they.

 

[ging3rhoffman]

Thank you very much. I just love this website

. I cant wait to go out to the coop and find my first egg! Hopefully that will be soon.