dont know what to do

[kittykat8]

Have bought 3 red mottled leghorns they are nice looking birds quality not a issue but have been misled about ages.
I was told told that they were 15 weeks old on august the 6th, they were being grown for me from chicks, the person concerned was only growing these for me as he had sold his flock.

The chickens are not the age I was told , I reackon 2 are about 11 to 13 weeks old with the 3 rd one a couple of weeks older .

I went to buy growers I can only get highgate.and was told that I could not eat the eggs from my layers, that is not a problem.

But then read somewhere that if chickens had not done a term on growers you should not start feeding it.

I rang the person who I bought the chickens from, and said he could not remember the ages of the chickens and not to worry about it just thrown grain and layers in.

I dont drive husband refusing to do any more driving as I have him driving around friday and saturday and the road are a nightmare at the moment.
I live in cornwall but will be going to wales tomorrow on 6.45 train,so cannot do anything.

I wish I had not bought these chickens
Marion

[kittykat8]

Ps not able to separate chickens from my other leghorns

[Nicos]

Personally I'd just give them what the others are eating....and leave them to grow up. They will start laying eventually.
Seeing what our neighbours feed their chooks, I'm regularly surprised they grow to adulthood- never mind lay regularly!!!!
Not an ideal situation for you- but they will eventually start laying

(Are you sure they are definitely female? If he's got 'confused' about their ages then he may not be 100% if they are male or female?)

Alternately give him a ring and ask for your money back on return of the birds as soon as you can take them back or ask for a partial refund because you consider they weren't what you thought you were paying for.

[kittykat8]

Not an option to take back someone is going to house them for a few weeks, will it harm them to have growers with acs if they have not had growers before

[Glutton4...]

Why can't they have Layers' Pellets like the older birds? A lot of people don't bother feeding 'Growers' anyway!

[kathyd]

Hi Kittykat. I've introduced 3 lots of young birds into my little flock over the past 2 years, and as far as I know none of them's ever had growers... I agree with Nicos, people don't do the same things over here, but the birds on the whole seem healthy enough, so I wouldn't panic. When we hatched some eggs last year, mummy bird actually seemed to be training the chicks NOT to eat the chick pellets I carefully provided at all, but encouraged them to eat wheat and stuff within the first week! I freaked at the time, but they all survived and thrived, so I try not to worry as much now.

I just give mine normal layers' pellets plus anything else the others eat... so wheat, maize, porridge with dried mealworms, and whatever 'treats' they're getting that day, which I give them at lunchtime. I provide the dry pellets, often mixed with wheat, all day, and I also give them all dry pellets soaked with hot water to turn them into a mash, which lots of them seem to prefer. I'm not sure what the difference is between layers' and growers', but I suspect it's just the level of protein - I'm sure someone else will correct me if I'm wrong on this - so maybe you could just provide a wee bit of extra for them (all of them probably!) for a few weeks? Tinned fish, dried mealworms, finely grated cheese (probably bad for them, but mine will kill for cheese ), scrambled egg.. some people also use cat food I believe.

I don't understand why you were told you couldn't eat eggs from your layers? Who told you that? Is it something to do with 'highgate'? I don't know what that is. Sorry if I'm being thick, but we don't have the same things over here so I'm a bit ignorant!

[Bill HH]

You are worrying over nothing, they never did get growers pellets in the jungle and they survived. Most of these feeds just differ in the protein content. Chickens in commercial units rarely see anything other than commercial feed wheras i suspect yours will be getting a more varied diet. They are very resillient creatures. if the feeds you are using advise not eating the eggs then why are you using it? It is obviouslt loaded with antibiotics and unless you have a very good reason for dosing your birds with that stuff, then dont.
My father used to start his day old chicks on kibbled wheat for the first few days rather than chick crumbs, I dont know why but I do know he knew his stuff. (kibbled is very coursley ground)

[RichmondHens]

The reason why growers pellet is fed to growing birds is that it contains less calcium. too much calcium at too young an age can cause kidney damage. Ideally all youngstock should be grown on separately to adults until POL as apart from ensuring they get appropriate feed it also enables the young birds develop their immune systems fully before mixing with the adults. But a lot of people don't have the space, or inclination, to run their birds separately so get round the problem by feeding all the flock growers for a bit until the youngsters have reached POL. Just make sure there is adequate oyster shell grit available to provide calcium for the laying hens.

Tbh I'm not sure why you are worried about the age difference, there is not much between a grower of 12 weeks and a grower of 15 weeks.