When To Switch From Starter To Layer?

[Raptor Chicken]

Our hens are 17wks old. The bag of Starter feed we've been using up until now says you can switch to the Layer feed around 16-18 weeks. But the Layer bag we looked at today at TSC said not to use that feed until the birds are laying already. Obviously ours aren't yet.

I've read a lot of times they won't lay through the winter anyway.

Suggestions?

 

[JedJackson]

What's the percentage of protein in the starter feed?

 

[Yardmom]

Under the circumstances you don't need extra calcium until they start laying. You can switch to an all flock or just feed the starter. If you have a few hens start laying you could add oyster shells on the side.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can switch now if you want, or hold off until the birds are mostly laying, or never switch to layer at all. Depends on the types of birds you have (production breeds? any males?) and how you want to manage your flock.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

What's the percentage of protein in the starter feed?

20%

 

[Raptor Chicken]

You can switch now if you want, or hold off until the birds are mostly laying, or never switch to layer at all. Depends on the types of birds you have (production breeds? any males?) and how you want to manage your flock.

All hens. Orpingtons, Pearl Star Leg Horns and Barred Rocks.

As far as "managing", we want lots of eggs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

All hens. Orpingtons, Pearl Star Leg Horns and Barred Rocks.

In that case, I'd say either wait until at least some of the hens start laying OR continue with the higher protein feed, and make sure you're supplementing calcium on the side. The first is easier for keepers, but the second allows the hens to adjust their calcium intake themselves, which may benefit birds that aren't laying yet/don't lay as prolifically.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

In that case, I'd say either wait until at least some of the hens start laying OR continue with the higher protein feed, and make sure you're supplementing calcium on the side. The first is easier for keepers, but the second allows the hens to adjust their calcium intake themselves, which may benefit birds that aren't laying yet/don't lay as prolifically.

So you're saying stay on the starter feed and supplement calcium until they start laying?

What about the whole "not laying in winter" thing?

Would you advise switching to Layer feed once they've started laying?

Or is all this just marketing and it really doesn't matter what you give them they're going to do what they do?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So you're saying stay on the starter feed and supplement calcium until they start laying?

What about the whole "not laying in winter" thing?

Would you advise switching to Layer feed once they've started laying?

Or is all this just marketing and it really doesn't matter what you give them they're going to do what they do?

Layer is meant to be the easiest option for laying hens. If time/convenience is a concern, or you aren't concerned with keeping birds around as long as possible (applies more to roosters but could apply to some hens as well, if they can't use up all that calcium), then there's nothing wrong with using it. Cost-wise it may be cheaper than other options, but the trade-off is you can't micromanage the calcium level, and it's usually lower in protein than other feed options.

All that said, the way I do things is I feed both dry layer pellets and fermented grower mash (assuming the flock is all of laying age) and I modify the amounts I feed based on the season. So in winter I feed a lot more grower, like 75% to 25% layer - that raises protein and lowers calcium. In summer it's more like 60% grower to 40% layer. I can't say I recommend doing it this way, as it's more micromanagement, but it is an option. My birds are pets as well as layers, and I have the time to do this, and space to store the feed, etc.

(Hopefully that isn't confusing - the point is, there's no one "right" way to do things, and everyone has different feed philosophies.)

 

[Raptor Chicken]

Layer is meant to be the easiest option for laying hens. If time/convenience is a concern, or you aren't concerned with keeping birds around as long as possible (applies more to roosters but could apply to some hens as well, if they can't use up all that calcium), then there's nothing wrong with using it. Cost-wise it may be cheaper than other options, but the trade-off is you can't micromanage the calcium level, and it's usually lower in protein than other feed options.

All that said, the way I do things is I feed both dry layer pellets and fermented grower mash (assuming the flock is all of laying age) and I modify the amounts I feed based on the season. So in winter I feed a lot more grower, like 75% to 25% layer - that raises protein and lowers calcium. In summer it's more like 60% grower to 40% layer. I can't say I recommend doing it this way, as it's more micromanagement, but it is an option. My birds are pets as well as layers, and I have the time to do this, and space to store the feed, etc.

(Hopefully that isn't confusing - the point is, there's no one "right" way to do things, and everyone has different feed philosophies.)

So since they likely won't be laying much over the winter would you say just sticking with the Starter feed through the spring and then switching to Layer feed would be realistic?

And what is "laying age"? As I mentioned ours are 17wks currently.