When should we switch to layer feed? Chickens are 14 weeks old.

[Ol Grey Mare]

Getting confused. Is there basically grower feed, for chickens up until they get to be laying age and then a layer feed? Seems like I'm hearing different names, but is it really only two kinds?

Generally you'll hear starter, grower, finisher (there are layer and broiler formulas of developer/finisher) and layer. Starter and/or grower can actually be fed from the day a bird hatches to the day it dies at a ripe old age. Starter tends to be slightly higher in protein (20-24%) than grower and is in particles that are smaller. Grower is generally a little lower in protein 18-20%) than starter and the particles are slightly larger. Layer feed is even lower in protein (16-18%) and is enriched with calcium (4% as opposed to the >1% of the other formulas) to support a hen's body being able to shell and expel eggs. Then there is the different forms feed comes in - crumbles, pellets and "mash". The pellets are more associated with layer ration as the feed intended for the younger/smaller birds is presented in crumble form - "mash" is also a layer feed.

 

[silkwormlady]

Got it! Thanks.

Now I wonder with them being in a coop all the time til we get a roof over their run (this weekend - gotta do it) at 11 weeks old, should I be giving them grit regularly? They love it when I put it down ....
Which leads to second question: How quickly does food transit their guts? I give them hard boiled egg treats in the morning. Not much, (one hard boiled egg smashed up, between 9 chickens lasts 2 or 3 days). Yesterday afternoon I took in a bunch of chick weed. At that time, (or was it later in the day?; I go visit them a lot .... ) I noticed runny brown poo.
Lack of grit?
Too much treats?

Now:
I bumped into a thread about food in the coop at night ... and thought ???

They've got "crumbles" all over the floor they peck at ... take the feeder out at night?

And, nothing to do with feeding and poo habits, but they've still not taken to getting up on the roost at night!!! They are still doing their, "Let's scramble and crowd into the corner and pretend we're not here" routine

that I started a thread over around 2 weeks ago. I thought it was a phase, a short one but ... I guess it's a long phase. They have no trouble with their roosts during the day, but night time? HA!

 

[henless]

Got it! Thanks.

Now I wonder with them being in a coop all the time til we get a roof over their run (this weekend - gotta do it) at 11 weeks old, should I be giving them grit regularly? They love it when I put it down ....
Which leads to second question: How quickly does food transit their guts? I give them hard boiled egg treats in the morning. Not much, (one hard boiled egg smashed up, between 9 chickens lasts 2 or 3 days). Yesterday afternoon I took in a bunch of chick weed. At that time, (or was it later in the day?; I go visit them a lot .... ) I noticed runny brown poo.
Lack of grit?
Too much treats?

Now:
I bumped into a thread about food in the coop at night ... and thought ???

They've got "crumbles" all over the floor they peck at ... take the feeder out at night?

And, nothing to do with feeding and poo habits, but they've still not taken to getting up on the roost at night!!! They are still doing their, "Let's scramble and crowd into the corner and pretend we're not here" routine

that I started a thread over around 2 weeks ago. I thought it was a phase, a short one but ... I guess it's a long phase. They have no trouble with their roosts during the day, but night time? HA!

Anytime chicks eat anything besides starter, boiled/scramble eggs or yogurt, they need grit to process it. They use the grit in their gizzard to grind food up, so be sure and have it available for them when you start feeding them treats. If they have access to the outside ground, they will probably pick up what they need from the dirt itself. But it doesn't hurt to have grit available for them if they need it.

Wow! One boiled egg lasts them for 2-3 days? I just scrambled up 3 eggs for my 8 English Orp chicks and it was gone in less than 30 seconds. They are 6 1/2 weeks old. The same goes with meal worms. They turn into little raptors!!

I leave feed/water in my coop 24/7. If you don't have any lights on at night, they will stay put and sleep. Chickens don't like to move around in the dark, they don't see very well.

My first batch of chickens I had to train to roost. I would go out there at dusk and pick each one up and place on the roost. It took about 5 days for everyone to get the hang of it. My chicks I have now, started roosting on their own. They can see the older hens in the next coop and imitate them a lot.

This was at dusk a couple days ago. Of course, since I was out there, everyone had to get off their roosts to see if I had treats! LOL In the 2nd pic, you can see the babies in the next coop. It's a case of monkey see, monkey do.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Got it! Thanks.

Now I wonder with them being in a coop all the time til we get a roof over their run (this weekend - gotta do it) at 11 weeks old, should I be giving them grit regularly? They love it when I put it down ....

This is a nice read on Grit - the additional links in the post are great too
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/891051/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry

 

[silkwormlady]

Thank you thank you. I am out there at dusk (as you can tell by the fact that I know their panic routine) so I'll just have to pick up the several who really like me to pet them anyway, give a try on one or two more .... and see what happens after several days.

I've just got a bunch more grit headed out to 'em. When I went out this a.m. to open their door (screened over for now) for more ventilation, I noticed fewer "splat" poos.

Oh, yeah. As to the eggs. They'd likely eat 3 or more also. I just ration it out to them and watch them scramble (oops. what a pun!) from place to place trying to decide which area has more egg (Kinda like what we humans often do in grocery lines .. trying to pick the faster check out aisle!)

Thanks so much for your help.
I'll keep you posted. hahaha

 

[silkwormlady]

Thank you for the grit info. Now I'll have to call my farm supply guy and ask him what age chicken the grit is he sold to me is meant for. He's usually right on tho'. Been in the business a long time. But, I'm gonna check anyway.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thank you for the grit info. Now I'll have to call my farm supply guy and ask him what age chicken the grit is he sold to me is meant for. He's usually right on tho'. Been in the business a long time. But, I'm gonna check anyway.

You could - but, while the info in the article is pretty specific, I must admit I have never worry that much about it. I have "poultry grit" (mostly adult sized, but it has some smaller pieces in it) that I have in a dish and also scatter occasionally in the run and favorite free ranging areas to "seed" the area so it doesn't get picked bare of natural grit options. Last year I did end up with one small bag of chick grit, which has also been scattered in the area the chickens frequent most often....which happens to have quite a bit of naturally occurring small particle stuff, beyond that I've never really bothered with all the various sizes, etc.

 

[silkwormlady]

Yeah. I got busy. Decided my chickens were happy, looked at the bag and it read the brand that was recommended, good enough for me.

Now, since I have Golden Comets that, from what I read start laying about 4 (?) weeks earlier than the Buff O and Speckled Sussex, can I just keep feeding the starter and leave out a dish of ???? (calcium source) thinking that the ones who need the calcium will naturally gravitate to it and eat it, and the ones who don't need it won't eat it?
I know I've seen this dilemma addressed before, but am too lazy (?) busy to try to track it down. Anybody relate to the "busy" thing?

 

[silkwormlady]

Hey there,
I just want everyone to know that we were raising 4 pullets varying between 13-18 weeks.
We purchased layer feed because the 18 week old was already laying and we figured the others weren't too far behind.
This last week the 13 week old started getting sick and within 3 days its organs had failed.
Lesson learned the hard way (distraught about this) that its better to stick with grower feed until all of the hens are laying and just supplement with a calcium source (oyster shells) off to the side for those who are starting to lay.
Wish I would have found this information earlier! Too much calcium is very bad for birds that have no way of getting rid of it (laying eggs).

Ah HA! This is the info I was looking for since I have Golden Comets who will be getting to laying age before the Buff Orps and Speckled Sussex I have .... or so I read. Good to know that chickens are smart enough to eat what they know is good for them (the laying ones) and those who are not laying will more or less stay away from the oyster shells. Last night one of my Golden Comets ran back and forth on top of the nesting boxes trying to figure out how to get down, when obviously she'd flown up. (Smart? HA!)

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ah HA! This is the info I was looking for since I have Golden Comets who will be getting to laying age before the Buff Orps and Speckled Sussex I have .... or so I read. Good to know that chickens are smart enough to eat what they know is good for them (the laying ones) and those who are not laying will more or less stay away from the oyster shells. Last night one of my Golden Comets ran back and forth on top of the nesting boxes trying to figure out how to get down, when obviously she'd flown up. (Smart? HA!)

Something to consider - the sort of damage that is caused would not have seen the rapid progression described in the OP (which is a bit dated, I know). Yes, excess calcium does cause organ damage and premature death in birds who consume it (males in a laying flock, young birds not of laying age, hens not laying due to age, molt or broodiness, etc.) - but the damage is a long-term issue and does not occur in a matter of days as described in the OP. While the diet was not optimal for the flock in question, the death(s) were not related to the layer feed.