Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[fluffypigs]

Dear all, I have had my chooks for 2 weeks and I am having a dilemma.

 

I bought 4 hens from the lady who sold me the eglu (classic), 1 is approx 20 weeks and the other 3 are approx 16 weeks. The lady I bought them from kindly gave me a small bag of growers mash and said that when it had run out I could move them onto layers. I read on this site that you should do a gradual changeover so this week I mixed the growers with a quarter layers. However I am running out of this mix and I am not sure whether to simply put them on pure layers or whether to buy a small bag of growers to keep mixing it (my local stockist Frogpool Manor didn't even do small bags, but I hope that I could get them somewhere else).

 

The older hen isn't laying yet but she had been doing some rather runny frothy poo's which looked much like an example on the omlet website of a hen just coming into lay. If this is the case and she will start laying soon I presume I should have her on pure layers mash otherwise we won't be able to eat the eggs?

 

Also, I have been fretting about the younger birds being cold in this weather and thought that the growers might be nutritionally better for them to bulk up their feathers for the cold. I don't know

 

To sum up after the waffling: 1 hen 20 weeks, 3 hens 16 weeks - buy more growers or move straight onto layers?

 

I've been on a rather steep learning curve over the last 2 weeks!

[Redwing]

I'd put them all on growers but then I am a big fan of using growers pellets for adult birds too

 

The reason i'd do that is that the pullets wont be growing as fast now as they would do if they were hatched earlier so you dont want to move them on to layers too early. Also its good for the slightly older one as really she is still pretty young

 

I'd buy a big bag and use that up then make the next lot layers feed, if the older one comes in to lay she will still be ok on the growers pellets

 

You can still eat the eggs as long as the feed isnt medicated (the bag will say 'with ACS' or have anticoccistats (not sure about that spelling) in the ingredients list if its medicated

[fluffypigs]

Thanks for your advice Redwing.

[Egluntyne]

I agree with Redwing. Best not to have them on Layers pellets/mash too early.

[sparkysmum]

I'm a great advocate for growers too Mine are all on growers just now None are laying & I feel the extra protein is good for them during the winter moult. Will put them back onto layers in the spring when they are laying again. Alli xx