First time raising pullets

[Reaperprincess]

My 14 week old pullets combs are turning pink. Do i need to give them any special feed to prepare them for their first egg? Do i need to seperate them from their brothers? Any help is appreciated.

 

[SilverBirds]

I'd start to offer Layer Feed or oyster shells around 15-20 weeks old depending on the breed.

What is your male/female ratio, and are they all the same age? Separating isn't going to be necessary unless you have a bad ratio, you have bullies, or overzealous boys.

 

[Reaperprincess]

I'd start to offer Layer Feed or oyster shells around 15-20 weeks old depending on the breed.

What is your male/female ratio, and are they all the same age? Separating isn't going to be necessary unless you have a bad ratio, you have bullies, or overzealous boys.

Roo to pullets are 5 to 4 they are all the same age

 

[FrostRanger]

My 14 week old pullets combs are turning pink. Do i need to give them any special feed to prepare them for their first egg? Do i need to seperate them from their brothers? Any help is appreciated.

Nope, just keep them on grower feed, they can actually stay on grower indefinitely as long as they have oyster shell available on the side. If you would rather not feed crumbles though, you can feed all flock, but again, they must have oyster shell available.
I would not switch to layer feed at all since you have cockerels, the extra calcium in layer feed is bad for any bird not laying, which includes cockerels

How many boys are there and how many girls? At this age they boys might be harassing the girls in which case they should be separated

 

[Reaperprincess]

Nope, just keep them on grower feed, they can actually stay on grower indefinitely as long as they have oyster shell available on the side. If you would rather not feed crumbles though, you can feed all flock, but again, they must have oyster shell available.
I would not switch to layer feed at all since you have cockerels, the extra calcium in layer feed is bad for any bird not laying, which includes cockerels

How many boys are there and how many girls? At this age they boys might be harassing the girls in which case they should be separated

Thank you for the advise hen to roo ratio are 4 to 5

 

[FrostRanger]

Roo to pullets are 5 to 4 they are all the same age

Oof, I would separate the boys then, 4 pullets isn't likely to be enough for even one cockerel, let alone 5. If you keep any of the boys, I'd add more females, minimum I'd keep with one male is 6-8 but 10 or more per roo is ideal (individual temperaments depending)

 

[Reaperprincess]

Oof, I would separate the boys then, 4 pullets isn't likely to be enough for even one cockerel, let alone 5. If you keep any of the boys, I'd add more females, minimum I'd keep with one male is 6-8 but 10 or more per roo is ideal (individual temperaments depending)

Thank you

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You may not actually need any roosters, depending on your goals. You will get eggs from your pullets whether you have a rooster or not, they just won't be fertilized. And the only reason to have fertilized eggs is if you plan to hatch them out into chicks at some point, a process that takes 21 days, either in a mechanical incubator or under a broody hen.

 

[Reaperprincess]

You may not actually need any roosters, depending on your goals. You will get eggs from your pullets whether you have a rooster or not, they just won't be fertilized. And the only reason to have fertilized eggs is if you plan to hatch them out into chicks at some point, a process that takes 21 days, either in a mechanical incubator or under a broody hen.

I know i need to get rid of some of my roos. I have other chicks that are much younger and a batch of eggs in a incubater. So i am just waiting for them to grow up and want to select the healthiest and least aggressive roo's to keep