Chickens Diet

Roosters really shouldn't be fed layer pellets. Oyster shell and other calcium supplements should be offered separately and not mixed in the feed. A balanced, complete chicken feed in needed for healthy growth and for a chicken to reach it's production potential. A grower, all flock, or flock raiser feed should be their primary diet. Treats like fruits, veggies, and grains are fine to feed, but should not make up more than 10% of their overall diet. Here's my flock of 'meaty' birds. I have 11 hens, and I get 8 to 10 eggs every day.

Awesome flock!!!! Thank you for the info. I didnt know laying pellets were not good for roosters!

hi all , some people are not going to like this reply but fat fowl are not healthy and will not be healthy ............... laying or anything else . feeding a good feed mix is it i have feed at one time up to 1,500 birds for a old timer and mine as well same feed just treats every now again , (gut fat ) is bad , if you have laying hen you are going to get rid of every 3 or 4 years ok then don`t worry about it . mike p.s. my feed has all the above does not affect my roos none at all and has never and i have a 9 year old cock and a 7 year old cock still in fine shape in the molt right now other than that good to go.

Thanks, all. I've been trying to find an allflock feed in pellet form but am not having any success. I want to feed all of my chickens the same feed, (with the exception of calcium supplements), so if i have to give layer pellets to my roo I will, but if I can find an allflock feed in pellet form I'll be so much happier. Thanks! Also, are lots of tomatoes bad? We are given tomatoes by a family in our church who sells at farmers market and the old stuff he'd just throw away. They eat so much I'm a little worried. Will it have any effects on their bodies? Thanks!!

It doesn't have to be all flock, it just shouldn't be layer. You can use any unmedicated starter, grower, flock raiser, or all flock.

madditremaine said:

Thanks, all. I've been trying to find an allflock feed in pellet form but am not having any success. I want to feed all of my chickens the same feed, (with the exception of calcium supplements), so if i have to give layer pellets to my roo I will, but if I can find an allflock feed in pellet form I'll be so much happier. Thanks! Also, are lots of tomatoes bad? We are given tomatoes by a family in our church who sells at farmers market and the old stuff he'd just throw away. They eat so much I'm a little worried. Will it have any effects on their bodies? Thanks!!

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Tomatoes are actually VERY good for chooks! Lots of antioxidants vitamins, especially lycopene and vitamin C... Totally fine to gorge on

You could get an all flock and add in oyster shell, the hens will get their calcium and the roos will eat around it and leave it in the bottom of the feeder; way easier than trying to separate feed

Edit* if you have a granary or feed mill nearby, you can actually tell them what you want made into a pellet, and they might be able to find some or make some to fit your needs

hi all , best thing to do is trial and error my fowl are on the grass moved every 4 to 5 days pin size are 4x4 or 4x8 the chicks are in a brooder till thay have tail feathers , take a hen or a roo put them on grass in a pin change nothing but give one all the tomatoes it can eat and watch it very close very close . the Lycopene is the key. thank`s mike .

someone from back yard chickens posted not to long along go what chickens can and can not eat moldly bread was one of them that they can not eat. here is what I give my girls at night before I put them in the coop for the night I take three slices of bread cut them into squares put them in the bottom of a small basket them put the salad mixture we had for diner on top of the bread to where the basket is full. they then get on and a half scoops of egg maker put into the feeder dishes and they are set for the night the next morning they get scratch grains mixed with grit and egg maker. I get the egg maker and scratch grains at my walmart store we pay 35.52 every month and half to two months for their feed and my girls love it they also like what they call a flock block and in winter time I give them warmed up quick rolled oats kinda runny as they like to drink it they also like watermelon apples (with the core and seeds removed) you can also put a head of cabbage in net and let them peck at it they more less play ball with it

my ducks hate to be separated from the chickens they are funny to watch the way they chase bugs

This is a really great thread, so much info
My girls have constant access to grains (corn, sunflower seed, etc) through a home made feeder bin in their enclosure, a scoop or 2 Gamebird Finisher pellets (as we also keep quail), egg layer pellets, every 2nd/3rd we feed them dog food (it has a highish sodium content so they get it every other day) and kitchen scraps. They also get free reign of our backyard on weekends and when we get home after work.
Oh and boiled mashed up eggs (shell and all) when we have too many, which happens every couple of weeks as we have a 'flock' thats 7 strong