It's a little early but you can start at anytime. They might pick at it to see what it is, but they won't eat too much right now. Chickens are really good at self regulating, eating it when they need it. I suggest offering oyster shell instead of eggshells. The eggshells only have so much calcium in them and if they consume them and lay an egg, that shell will have less calcium. Does that make sense? I save my eggshells, smash them, then use them in the garden
A diet containing too much calcium can be a serious problem for young chicks and growing birds under 18 weeks of age. The recommended level for calcium is 1% or below for these birds; layer feed has up to four times this amount, so you should never feed it to birds under 18 weeks.
I'm keeping them on their layer feed until tonight. By then I'll be able to go pick up the bag of flock raiser I ordered last night and switch out their food. Thank you!
First paragraph source?
One of my many chicken books and being raised on a farm
I had read that same thing... But mine are all under 16 weeks and a few have begun laying, so that extra calcium is needed for them. I don't want them pulling it from their bones just because science people say no to it for "underage" birds.
Yea usually 16-20 weeks or point of lay whichever comes first. Layer feed calcium is quick release so they wouldt be pulling it from thier bones. But if you give calcium to an underage chick that isnt laying it builds up and causes organ damage that can kill them. I wait til they start squatting.
When we first got them I was counting down the weeks until they reached the 16 mark... Until we found an egg. Then I was glad that I bought everything in preparation. Too bad that that preparation cost me more than $100 and now I can't use most of it. I didn't know that cockerels shouldn't eat it...
I don't know what to do with all these bags of food that are piled in my garage. I had to keep rebuying because the girls refused to touch almost all of it because they were pellets. And now I can't use the rest of the grower/starter or layer crumbles/pellets. *smh*
what chicken breed do you have I want some lol
