when is it ok to put pullets on laying feed?

[lilmama]

Hi,

a few questions:

I have all my chickens -three hens and two pullets- on quick-gro (I know it's called different things but it's the feed you give pullets until they are laying age.) The hens have stopped laying for the Winter so the feed store said I could put them all on one food that is not a laying feed. )I hope that was good advice for the hens.) Anyway, the pullets are about 14 weeks now. When can I switch everyone back to laying feed?

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

The reason pullets usually arent fed layer feed is because of the added calcium which isnt good for growing birds. To chage the feed you should slowly introduce it by mixing it with their regular. I would just mix about 3/4 grower and 1/4 layer then slowly increase the layer until thats all you are feeding them.

 

[Chris09]

If your hens are not laying then they should go to a grower feed.
Feeding too much Calcium to any Non-Laying fowl can be hard on them weather it be chicks, growing stock, Hens or Roosters.

Chris

 

[woodmort]

Read this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=411310

 

[Pine Grove]

You'd think they would put Warnings on the feed tags..ADM's Fancy Show Bird Pellets contain 4.5% calcium, I'ts labeled as a grower feed, go figure

 

[welasharon]

This I didn't know. So, if I have 3 hens that normally lay but have pretty much stopped for a molt and three chickens that have yet to lay what do I feed for? I had them on grower but the ones that were molting started laying leathery eggs and one had one bust inside so I just switched to layer.
sharon

 

[Judy]

You can always feed grower and offer oyster shell separately.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Wow that is a lot of Calcium for a grower. Buckeye's "Pullet Grower is only around 1.10% and there "Gold Standard Laying" is 4.0%


Chris

 

[dieselgrl48]

Layer feed or crumble's can cause internal bleeding problem's in young non laying bird's.Medicated or some game bird feed's can also.I had to learn the hard way.I don't use ANY medicated feed's now.waterfowl especialy should not have it.I didn't even buy any layer pellet's this year until our first Sexlink hen laid an egg.I kept the pellet's away from the younger bird's to make sure they didn't get any.I'm No Expert just My experience's.

 

[fratmor]

I have a question once they start laying you give then layer,when do you go back to grower?