Kitchen Garden Forum

I have been keeping chickens for the last three and a half years and it was only the other day that someone told me you should not eat eggs from hens that have been feeding on growers pellets! There apparently should be a withdrawal period, until the drugs that are contained in growers pellets have been flushed out of the hen's system, as they move on to layers pellets! In all the books I have read and conversations with other breeders, this piece of information has never passed my way! Is this common knowledge to you guys out there?

I haven't eaten that many eggs from grower pellet fed hens, but there have been the odd few at the start of laying or from mother hens who start to lay again when still with their chicks who are on growers pellets. However, could this be why I have grown a second head and a third arm? Is this why I've developed the ability to see into the future and enjoy scratching around in leaf mould for grubs?!!!

Seriously though, this was quite a surprise to me. Is this info about growers pellets correct? I await your responses with interest. Thanks.

I've never heard that either, though I suppose the reason makes sense. But I expect you would have to eat lots of eggs for it to do you any harm.

Quick answer, Quatro: if your birds are laying they should be fed Layers Pellets, not growers.
Withdrawal periods are only relevant in the case of feeds medicated with coccidiostats, as is the case with many brands of chick crumbs. I have never used growers pellets, so cannot say what might be in them, but the label on the bag will tell you as well as about any withdrawal period.

Growers pellets don't usually contain ACS.

But laying hens should always have layers pellets anyway , not growers.

Watch your hens, give them variety, mine love the odd strawberry the slugs got to before me, corn on the cob that has gone a bit past its best, lettuce and greens, cucumber, beansprouts, mixed corn, they love any seeds in cucumber and melon, they really don't like their pellets much and it's their last choice when other things are on the menu, LOL

I agree with Diane (and Alan). Laying hens should be fed layers pellets even when they are off lay. Growers pellets are only needed from the chick stage at about 3-4 weeks and through the growing stage up to about 16-18 weeks then its layers all the way. Its some time since I used growers feed but I don't remember that it contained any medication.

John

Cheers guys. Yes, I know laying hens should be on layers pellets, the point being, my 6 week old chicks are out and about in a garden area (before they go free range when older) with their mothers. Chicks are now on growers but the mothers have started laying again - splendid hens! See the problem? Suppose I'll have to withdraw those eggs for a while. Don't want to separate the mothers yet - and no space to. Don't want to give the chicks layers pellets, as it is not good for them. So complicated!

Anyway, thanks for your help. I just hadn't heard this info about growers pellets before. If I grow any more limbs or achieve a state of nirvana from eating contaminated eggs, I'll recommend it to the forum! Happy hen husbandry!

There's no need to stop eating the eggs - unless the growers pellets contain ACS. If they are bog standard growers pellets then the eggs will be perfectly safe to eat.

Diane wrote:There's no need to stop eating the eggs - unless the growers pellets contain ACS. If they are bog standard growers pellets then the eggs will be perfectly safe to eat.

Please read the label! It will state if ACS have been added.

Just to throw another problem into the mix ! Farmgate Growers pellets in 20KG bags DO contain ACS but the same pellets in 7.5 KG bags DO NOT contain ACS! This info came from the manufacturers