When Can I Feed Chickens Layer Pellets
How early can Pullets be on layer feed?
- Thread starter GW3
- Start date
- #1
Ok so I have 16 pullets and 10 hens and they are in a separated lot at the moment and I really feel like my pullets don't have enough room (the youngest ones in that group are 15 week old barred rocks) so can I move them out now and feed layer? Or should I close off a portion of the lot just for chicks to go in and out of to get food? I know the hens will try to eat chick starter, but will the pullets eat layer?
- #2
I feed medicated chick starter until 12 weeks.
- #3
my barred rocks just laid there first eggs at 17 weeks so they will need the extra calcium very soon, so i think its fine for them to eat layer
- #4
Could switch everyone to an 'all flock' feed, serve whatever calcium supplement you prefer (egg shell, oyster shell, etc.) on the side, and can even grind it fine to be used as a non-medicated chick starter. Truly is an all purpose feed that won't have you skimping on nutrition or overdosing the calcium for birds that are not actively laying such as unstarted pullets, chicks, cockerels and roosters. Birds seem to realize that too much calcium is bad for them, and avoid it when they don't need it, so don't mix it into the feed, just serve it on the side.
- #5
At 15 weeks they're close enough to laying that you can feed layer without worry. I typically feed medicated Starter until 12 weeks and then Grower until they actually lay an egg. I don't usually feed Layer, preferring an All Flock with free choice oyster shell. Some of my hens had issues on Layer, plus I kept a rooster in with them.
- #6
I too prefer a flockraiser type feed, with free choice oyster shell on the side.
- #7
I'd just feed everyone an all flock or a grower for the time being and offer oyster shell on the side for the layers to peck out when they want.
- #8
Could switch everyone to an 'all flock' feed, serve whatever calcium supplement you prefer (egg shell, oyster shell, etc.) on the side, and can even grind it fine to be used as a non-medicated chick starter. Truly is an all purpose feed that won't have you skimping on nutrition or overdosing the calcium for birds that are not actively laying such as unstarted pullets, chicks, cockerels and roosters. Birds seem to realize that too much calcium is bad for them, and avoid it when they don't need it, so don't mix it into the feed, just serve it on the side.
At 15 weeks they're close enough to laying that you can feed layer without worry. I typically feed medicated Starter until 12 weeks and then Grower until they actually lay an egg. I don't usually feed Layer, preferring an All Flock with free choice oyster shell. Some of my hens had issues on Layer, plus I kept a rooster in with them.
I too prefer a flockraiser type feed, with free choice oyster shell on the side.
I'd just feed everyone an all flock or a grower for the time being and offer oyster shell on the side for the layers to peck out when they want.
i tried using the all flock feed for my chickens because i mixed my pullets with the flock at 8 weeks, but i'm so happy i just got my first egg so i can now go back to layer pellets! i was going through twice as much feed with the all flock becasue it was a crumble, not a pellet and they would just scratch all of it out of the feeder, with the pellets they barely waste any!
- #9
- May 21, 2017
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I feed flock raiser (with separate oyster shells) because it's best for roosters, pullets, non-laying hens, and molting hens.
- #10
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