When to move from medicated to non medicated starter or layer

[windychatton]

I have 12 golden comet pullets around 13 weeks of age. Have been feeding the Blue Seal Medicated crumbles since they were day olds, but is it safe to switch to non-medicated starter on the next bag? Local feed mill has their own house starter at a few dollars cheaper per 50 lb bag. Otherwise I may just finish my bag of medicated I just picked up last week which should take them out to 16 weeks of age (and maybe we will start seeing eggs by then) and go to layer.

Thoughts?

 

[Mutt Farm]

At 13 weeks, you can switch to grow crumbles. Any time after 8 weeks.Free choice oyster shell until they are all laying.
Yikes. Edit to add the part if the sentence I apparently forgot. Free choice oyster shell and don't switch to lay feed until they are all laying.

 

[MeepBeep]

You should be fine with a non-medicated at that age, just avoid switching to layer feed until hey are actually laying... You can continue feeding the grower/starter even when they start laying just offer them oyster shells on the side...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Even with golden comets, you're unlikely to get eggs at 16 weeks. More likely 20 or so. The earlier they lay, the greater the possibility to have reproductive issues.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have yet to see a bag of commercially produced feed without feeding directions printed on it, including when to switch from one feed to another. I understand asking experienced people for advice BUT, the manufacturer knows what is in their feed and the ages it is intended for and what is the next feed to provide and when.

 

[MeepBeep]

I have yet to see a bag of commercially produced feed without feeding directions printed on it, including when to switch from one feed to another. I understand asking experienced people for advice BUT, the manufacturer knows what is in their feed and the ages it is intended for and what is the next feed to provide and when.

The thing with many manufactures and feed is that they generally dumb down the instructions to a one size fits all, and toss out generic 'week old' times... Sadly those general instructions do not really apply universally across all chicken breeds... Your feeding program for your Cornish X is going to be entirely different then want works for your heritage breed, or a dual purpose breed or your egg layers...

That said experience in this regard is generally superior to manufacture's guidelines...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The bags have both meat and layer instructions.

If you are doing heritage breeds, which is what I do, you need to study more and apply that knowledge to your intended purposes. It isn't a simple answer.

I recommend the following books. Most were written for the commercial industry, but they are still poultry. You will have to study and extrapolate what applies or how the information needs to be applied to heritage poultry. The research shows that chickens need certain amounts of about 68 nutrients whether they are broilers, cage layers or free range heritage birds. Genetically, they're very similar with identical needs.

http://www.contextbookshop.com/books/nutrition-and-feeding-of-organic-poultry

http://www.contextbookshop.com/book...e-for-nutritionists-and-poultry-professionals

http://www.contextbookshop.com/books/fats-and-fatty-acids-in-poultry-nutrition-and-health

http://www.contextbookshop.com/books/gut-efficiency-the-key-ingredient-in-pig-and-poultry-production

http://www.contextbookshop.com/books/comparative-avian-nutrition

Yes, the bags do tend to dumb it down, but if you aren't a poultry nutritionist or at least a student of such, most people need it dumbed down. Most don't even read the bags.

 

[windychatton]

Ok for now I'll continue to feed the medicated we have on hand and get some oyster shells. I'm going to guess that some of the girls will start laying a few weeks before the last of the bunch. Is it advisable to continue feeding starter/grower until the entire flock is laying or just switch to layer when the first eggs drop?

 

[Mutt Farm]

Ok for now I'll continue to feed the medicated we have on hand and get some oyster shells. I'm going to guess that some of the girls will start laying a few weeks before the last of the bunch. Is it advisable to continue feeding starter/grower until the entire flock is laying or just switch to layer when the first eggs drop?

Exactly. Feed up what you have, but put out oyster shell free choice. Not advisable to switch to lay mash until all hens are laying. The added calcium in lay mash can cause damage to a non-laying chicken or roo. There's no hurry or reason to ever feed lay mash if there is oyster shell available for laying hens. . Grower is is just fine. You've got this!