When to switch to layer feed??

[katelk]

My pullets (my first chickens ever!) will be 16 weeks on Tuesday. I am currently feeding them Countryside Organics grower feed which instructs to feed until 1st egg OR 16 weeks.
I have Orpingtons which I know mature slower than many, so I am wondering if I need to keep them on the grower until their 1st egg or switch them.
I am at the point where I need to order more feed and am not sure which one to get. I still have enough grower for about another week.

Should I order another 25 lbs of grower, or move on up to the layer?
This brand isn't cheap so I wanted to be sure first! Thanks!!

 

[Murphy212]

This is my first experience with chickens too. I have 11 who were 22 weeks old when I got the first egg. I had just bought a 50 lb bag of grower feed and continued it until it ran out. By the time I switched to layer feed I was getting 4- 5 eggs per day. Felt like almost all of them were laying, and the layer feed at this point would not hurt those who are not. At least that is what I think...
As I said, this is my first rodeo with chickens and am learning as I go along.
Murphy

 

[katelk]

This is my first experience with chickens too.  I have 11 who were 22 weeks old when I got the first egg.  I  had just bought a 50 lb bag of grower feed and continued it until it ran out.  By the time I  switched to layer feed I was getting 4- 5 eggs per day.  Felt like almost all of them were laying, and the layer feed at this point would not hurt those who are not.  At least that is what I think... 
As I said, this is my first rodeo with chickens and am learning as I go along.
Murphy

Thanks for the info. I am really wanting to just go ahead and order the layer. This brand of grower (compared to what I have gotten from TSC) has a lot of good looking whole grains, but also a lot of "dust". It was great when they were smaller chicks, but now I hear a lot of loud sneezes while they are eating.

Are there any negatives to switching to layer feed too early?

 

[3chickchicks]

Mine are getting close to laying. I still have them on grower and have free choice oyster shell in a bowl. They're molting so the extra protein is important. One of them has been eating oyster shell and the others haven't touched it. Once they're all laying, I'll switch them over.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My pullets (my first chickens ever!) will be 16 weeks on Tuesday. I am currently feeding them Countryside Organics grower feed which instructs to feed until 1st egg OR 16 weeks.
I have Orpingtons which I know mature slower than many, so I am wondering if I need to keep them on the grower until their 1st egg or switch them.
I am at the point where I need to order more feed and am not sure which one to get. I still have enough grower for about another week.

Should I order another 25 lbs of grower, or move on up to the layer?
This brand isn't cheap so I wanted to be sure first! Thanks!!

It's really your choice at this point and either way you decide is not going to affect them. They are old enough to switch to layer if you are running out of grower but it also is fine if you want to feed through another bag of grower. If they start laying while still on the grower just offer a dish of oyster shell on the side. Some people with mixed flocks feed nothing but grower and offer oyster shell.