When do you switch from Grower to Layer feed?

[TheSpiceGirls]

I've got three girls, all 21 weeks old. They are currently on Grower/Finisher crumbles.

The EE laid her first egg yesterday (YIPPEE!!!). The BO is starting to show an interest in the nest boxes so I think she's getting close. Maybe a few more weeks. And then the Jersey Giant will be the slowest to mature and is proably a few months away from laying.

I want to be sure that the EE is getting enough calcium but I don't want the other girls to get too much before they start laying. How do you do this?

Do I start mixing 50% Finisher with 50% Layer feed? Keep them on Finisher and put out oyster shells? What do you recommend?

 

[NonnasBabies]

I usually switch mine over around 18 weeks!!

And I give them free choice oyster shells!!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
So it sounds like I should start the switch now. I don't need to worry about the hens who are not laying yet getting too much calcium before they start laying?

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
So it sounds like I should start the switch now. I don't need to worry about the hens who are not laying yet getting too much calcium before they start laying?

I've never had a problem. My first birds were already laying when I got them. My next 15 I intergrated when they were 18 weeks I never changed the feed. The other 30 I got same thing! No problems at all!!

 

[gryeyes]

I handle it differently, because my flock has so many chickens of different ages.

I never change from Grower to Layer feed. I just stay on the Grower feed and keep crushed oyster shell out, free choice. Those that need it, will take it. That way, no "still growing" chickens will get too much calcium.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If I'm going to use layer feed I make the switch when they lay the first eggs. No point in feeding something they don't yet need.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Me, too.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Well, I think I'm committed to switching to layer rations. I already bought two bags. I bought a bag of crumbles and then a bag of pellets and was going to mix the two. Just not sure when to make this switch but it sounds like right about now is the right time. I have a little grower left and I think I'll start mixing the two and make the transition slowly for them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If they are 21 weeks old, they should be fine. The big problem is with growing chickens, either their bones do not develop right or they can have kidney damage. Once they are adults, they can handle the extra calcium. If I were you, I would switch now.

You can try mixing the two feeds and see what happens. Sometimes they make the switch with no problem, sometimes they prefer the crumbles to the pellets, and sometimes they prefer the pellets to the crumbles. I go back and forth depending on whether I have young chickens with the flock, with oyster shell available. Mine prefer the pellets to the point that I have to let them run out of pellets for a while so they will clean up the crumbles. From posts on here, it seems that more people have the opposite problem.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
Thanks for this. I was feeding them crumbles but they seemed more interested in bigger chunks. And there's a feed store where you can buy pellets by the scoop. So I brought home a few scoops and the pellets were good eats. So now I have a bag of crumbles and a bag of pellets and I'll mix those two for a while and see what the preference is and then just buy that next time.