4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Kathybaldwin]

Well, flossie and midnight are now approaching 16 weeks. They are so sweet and have such different personalities. Flossie is a pekin x silkie and Middy is a pekin bantam. Still have the problem with the cats stalking them in their coop so free ranging them is out of the question. I've bought a larger cage which they are popped into each morning after brekkie so they can spend the day mooching around on fresh grass.

 

Question: when do I change their food from growers to layers? They haven't started to lay just yet as it's early days but what signs do I look out for (apart from the very obvious one) and should they be moulting this time of year or is it just the baby feathers loosening off?

 

I have given them the 3 days vermatex pellets, but floss seems to have a large bulge in her chest and it appears she has something in her throat as she look like she's about to retch. There's no gasping of air or keeling over, is this the normal process of digesting their food? They have grit in their corn which they get at weekends, but i was thinking along the lines of worms? I haven't got any flubenvet yet.

 

Hope you can help. Kathy