New to chicken keeping and worried about feed!

chickabiddy · « **on:** September 23, 2008, 23:20 »

Hello everyone. We have just added to our family, four beautiful brown warren hens. We are all getting quite addicted to watching them! They were sold to me as POL pullets, and the lady who bred them said they were about 18 weeks old. We discussed food and I said I had layers pellets for them - but, and here comes my question, sorry for lengthy preamble :oops: - I have read online that you shouldn't feed layers pellets to hens under 20 weeks as they can cause kidney failure - yikes - do I need to go out tomorrow and get growers pellets for them, for the next two weeks? Thank you so much for any advice!

naturesparadise · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2008, 23:39 »

yes i would get the growers but dont buy to much as you need to mix the growers and layers

to ween them over to layers

i would do 60% growers to 40% layers to start with

and then just add more layers as time goes on

Kate and her Ducks · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2008, 07:16 »

It's the excess calcium (for shell production) that is the main problem I believe. I agree that what NP said is the ideal but in all honesty if you can't get hold of a few kilos of growers pellets I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure they will be fine for a few weeks and then they will be off and laying for you and the problem is sorted. They should have layers for a couple of weeks before they start to lay to build up reserves and fingers crossed they are not too far off that. Put in perspective, few people can separate out their cocks (or drakes) and they therefore get layers longterm too which is not recommended for the same reasons.

Good luck and hope they start laying for you soon. Nothing better than the first egg

Knight Family · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2008, 07:45 »

Hi, mine are also about that age, and we were told just to feed them "high" quality corn mix. But once they start laying to then to slowly mix them over to Layer pellets and corn as a treat.

Kate and her Ducks · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2008, 07:57 »

You might have a problem getting them on to boring pellets after living the life of luxery on corn

richyrich7 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2008, 09:18 »

2 weeks is not going to harm them IMHO, feed 'em layers they will be fine

.

Unfortunately keeping hens is again "trendy" which equates to making money, hens are quite easy to feed house and look after, with out all this fancy stuff, people have kept them for 1000's of years with out much fuss why change it now :?

Quote from: "Kate and her Ducks"

You might have a problem getting them on to boring pellets after living the life of luxery on corn

definitely

chickabiddy · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2008, 09:58 »

Thanks everyone, will try to calm down a bit about it all!!

richyrich7 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:29 »

Hey Chickabiddy I forgot to say Welcome to the forums

Enjoy your stay, chucks can be as easy or as complicated as you want them to be. But most of all enjoy having them

Bodger · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2008, 11:08 »

I'm with Rich, when he says keep it simple. Layers pellets are going to be ideal for your birds.
The person who was told to feed high quality corn was misinformed. The best grain only has a protein content of around 10%. To get the best out of your laying chickens, the level has to be higher. All that corn will do, is eventually make your birds fat.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2008, 14:20 »

Yep, I've never fed mine on anything but layers from when I buy them at POL which with some was only about 13 weeks old. A few weeks will do no harm, why make life complicated.

Think about it - what to cockerels who live with hens eat :?:

poultrygeist · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2008, 14:34 »

Welcome chickabiddy.

Can I just say, rather boringly, that I agree.

Had ours at 18 weeks and layers pellets it was from the off.
You'll have plenty more scares from things you read or hear. There seems to be as many ways of 'doing' chickens as there are breeds. They are quite difficult to harm, as long as you follow the basic routines.

Enjoy

Rob

chickabiddy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 24, 2008, 20:13 »

Thank you all, for your words of wisdom and welcome! Have been reading the forum pages for a while prior to getting our own little flock, very excited about joining your online community!

woodburner · « **Reply #12 on:** September 24, 2008, 20:42 »

If they are free range/have plenty of access to greenery and bugs, I don't think it really matters what you give them in the way of additional feed. (With the possible exception of 'corn' - cut maize.) They will balkance thier own diet.

too many girls · « **Reply #13 on:** September 24, 2008, 20:47 »

welcome chickabiddy, hope this lot is right, i bought my silkies 3 weeks ago aged 16 weeks, i've given the same layers pellets and mash as the others, never even gave it a thought, they seem to be thriving.

chickabiddy · « **Reply #14 on:** September 24, 2008, 20:53 »

Yep, mine seem happy enough scratching around in their run, getting to know their new environment. They aren't too fussed on the pellets, seem more interested in the grass for now!

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New to chicken keeping and worried about feed!

Bodger

poultrygeist

too many girls