When to switch to layer feed -- URGENT

[The Kid Farmer]

Hi all! So we are out of our grower feed that we have been feeding our 13 week old chicks, but we have layer feed and I was wondering if we could use that now? Are they old enough? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[The Kid Farmer]

Just to clarify-- we do not have thirteen one week old chicks, we have 7 chicks that are 13 weeks old

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Many suggest wait till they're laying.

On my own, because I try putting them with adults at 3-4 months, I like them already on the adults grain before they're in. So as soon as the pellets can fit in their beak, I wean them into it. So basically I slowly start mixing the grain till they're fully on it.

 

[The Kid Farmer]

I actually have the crumble still, but on the package it says it's a layer feed. I'm kind of confused. Are you saying I can use it right now and it would be alright?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would wait, it really is early for layer and unless you have production birds that have a higher need for calcium once they're laying, there's not as much advantage in giving them calcium before they need it, vs giving them higher protein which most grower feeds offer.

Growth now trumps calcium for eggs that might not come along for 3 weeks, or 3 months.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Wait. It’s generally not recommended to start them on later feed until at least 16 weeks or until you get your first egg. The extra calcium in layer feed can cause organ damage in birds that aren’t laying yet if they are on it for long enough for it to build up.

 

[Blooie]

You can certainly switch them to All Flock or another bag of Starter.

 

[saysfaa]

I would wait until they start laying. Otherwise the best case scenario is they start laying super early and get only a few weeks of too much calcium. More likely if they are layer breeds, is they start in another month and a half or two months. That is long enough to damage their organs enough to affect their health for the rest of their lives even if the affects are subclinical. Possibly, if they are one of several of the heavy or bantam or rare breeds, it could be many months until they start laying.

If you get another bag of feed for chickens that are not laying and they start laying early, they can still safely finish it.

 

[The Kid Farmer]

But will it be okay for just a day or two until I can get more grower feed?

 

[saysfaa]

But will it be okay for just a day or two until I can get more grower feed?

Yes. No problem with such a short term.