When to switch mixed breed 10 chicken flock to layer feed?

[ChickNanny13]

If you're planning on storing OS no biggie but if you're storing feed, caution. Sales are great for savings but unless you got a good storage plan & weather conditions ... Feed mites, molding & mildew will make it more expensive to buy on sale. I've learned that lesson.

 

[gtaus]

Sales are great for savings but unless you got a good storage plan & weather conditions ...

I currently store my feed in my attached garage, so it's out of the weather. Never seen any feed mites, so I'll have to keep my eyes open for that.

 

[gtaus]

The Purina Layer feed is fine. If you would start giving it to them now,,,,,, there would NOT BE ANY CATASTROPHE. They will start laying soon.

Good to know. Which is why I think I'll just use up my last 50# of grower/raiser and then transition all birds to the layer feed. I'll be getting a small bag of oyster shells to offer in a side dish for now. Thanks for all the other good info, too.

 

[gtaus]

I offer Oyster Shells in a separate container after 16 weeks of age. Don't be surprised if they indulge the first two or three days as they do need extra calcium before they start to lay.

Thanks, I'll be watching for that.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

FYI Layer doesn't have Oyster Shell in it, it's lower in protein & a higher amount of calcium which can harm chicks & Roos. You can stick to what you're feeding & just an extra dish of Oyster Shells, not to be mixed with feed.

All feed contains calcium and it is added as calcium carbonate in many forms. Some manufacturers use mineral sources, some use oyster shell. I have seen oyster shell on the ingredient list of several brands of feed. One of Purina's lines of layer is called oyster strong and they promote the fact that it contains large particle oyster shell.
Regardless of the source, calcium carbonate is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is 40% calcium (Ca).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I currently store my feed in my attached garage, so it's out of the weather. Never seen any feed mites, so I'll have to keep my eyes open for that.

We should always check the mill date before we buy feed. It can vary dramatically from store to store and brand to brand. I bought several types of feed yesterday. They ranged from 2 weeks to 2 months old. There were other bags I wanted but they were older so I didn't buy them.

 

[mrskenmore]

great info here! I too have girls that are 16 weeks old and starting integration with an older laying flock. I am slowly finishing my chick crumbles and introduce them slowly to the layer pellets by doing a mix across the two week transition period (week 16-18). I never know when they are going to start laying and found this method works well. They have their big girl voice and combs and waddles are getting big and red. So it could be 1week or 6 weeks out... I don't tend to worry about the extra calcium over a week or two.. some say 18 weeks, but I usually let the bag run out and then switch over- hope this helps!

 

[gtaus]

I am slowly finishing my chick crumbles and introduce them slowly to the layer pellets by doing a mix across the two week transition period (week 16-18).

I just started a new 50# bag of 18% grower/raiser yesterday. A 50# bag of feed has been lasting my 10 birds about 4-5 weeks.
Today I got my first egg! For reference, that is day 130, or 18 1/2 weeks for my mixed flock. I don't expect all to start laying within the next few weeks as some of the breeds take about 8 weeks longer than my earlier layers.

So, I added a side dish of calcium to the grower feed. Depending on how many eggs per day I get, I think I will start mixing in the layer feed in about a week or two. I think my transition period will be longer than 2 weeks, but maybe that is OK. Yesterday our local farm store had a Labor Day sale on layer feed, plus I also got an additional 10% veteran's discount, so all in all, I paid less than $9 per 50# bag of layer feed. I only bought 2 bags, but that should last me up to 3 months.

 

[123RedBeard]

If you got room in your freezer ... you may want to divide up the second bag, and freeze it ... what is the "mill date" (when it was ground, and bagged)?

BTW ... both Purina & Nutrina say ...

Layer feeds should be fed starting around 18 weeks of age, or when the first egg is laid, whichever comes first.

Should in written on the bag ...

 

[aart]

Never seen any feed mites, so I'll have to keep my eyes open for that.

Here some pics and video(last post just updated:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/grain-mites.981212/

If you got room in your freezer ... you may want to divide up the second bag, and freeze it ... what is the "mill date" (when it was ground, and bagged)?

Ditto Dat!!^^^