The Nutritional Requirements of the Modern Hen – Pullets

When it comes to Pullets, it’s important to know that these are the vital stages when a birds Organs, Muscles and Frame are mostly developed. Tuckers Pet & Produce understand this to be the most crucial feeding stages as it develops and sets the bird up for a long and healthy life cycle.

Below is some great information from Barastoc Poultry about Pullets and how to really encourage the most out of your birds during this stage of their life.

Generally, by 6 weeks the immature female chick is classed as pullets and the male counterpart a cockerel. At this stage their nutritional needs are similar and both would be fed a diet known as Pullet Grower. The pullet phase is where the foundations are laid during the next 10-12 weeks of life, before the body reaches maturity.  Demonstrated bellow is a timeline showing the diverse vital events that occur during the pullet phase and onto maturity.

Skeletal framework and structural muscle are being formed and peak between 6-10 weeks of age and as shown organs are already developed and the focused for this short window to set the bird up for the rest of its life.

Once the bird hits sexually maturity driven not only by age but also body weight, nutrition and day light hours this is when reproductive organs and the medulary bone are critical. Within skeletal bone there is 2 distinct types of bone mass medulary bone and cortical bone both of which has specific roles and are living tissues.

The medulary bone in the sense of female layers is crucial, diet alone can’t supply all the calcium the bird needs day to day so 20-40% is required to come from skeletal bone.  Thus this skeletal bone is the major reservoir of calcium and phosphorus with >95% calcium and 80% phosphorus stored continuously.

Tuckers Pet & Produce stores hold a large range of poultry products including nutritional feed for chooks at all stages of life, including Pullets. Pop into your local Tuckers store today or shop online at www.tuckersstore.com.au