best brand of chicken feed?

[vpatt]

The advice I've received are always to not give the chicks excess calcium. I believe earlier in this thread I posted links about why.

I have my chicks in with my adults and everyone gets the same feed ... a higher protein lower calcium feed with all the nutrients babies and breeding birds need ... kinda like Purina Flock Raiser or Paybacks All Purpose Poultry feed. The calcium for the layers is on the side.

Other people will give you the exact opposite advice and say they feed layer feed to their chicks.

I don't have a problem using the chick starter and putting out calcium on the side. ..as long as I can ferment the starter feed. They are going to have to eat the same food......they free range and will have access to all the feed I put out....unless I feed them in fenced areas and that wouldn't be free ranging. The chicks may get some calcium but if I mix the two feeds until the layer mash is used up....the percentage of calcium will be cut in half.

Thnx for the advice

 

[skcg]

Since your from sunny SD, where do you order your chicks? Anyplace closer than back East? Being from Arizona (thats Eastern SD after all) I'd like to order from someplace closer.

 

[perchie.girl]

Since your from sunny SD, where do you order your chicks? Anyplace closer than back East? Being from Arizona (thats Eastern SD after all) I'd like to order from someplace closer.

Privett is in New Mexico... but there are some hatcheries in Arizona....

http://www.privetthatchery.com/home/default.aspx

Ideal is Texas
http://www.idealpoultry.com/

Cackle is in Missouri
http://www.cacklehatchery.com/default.html

But to be honest they all send their chicks by mail. Unless i was ordering dead of winter from places like North Dakota I wouldnt worry. Many put in heat packs if its going to be cold.

All have experience sending to most of the states.

Find out where your feed store buys their chicks and wehn they start getting them in. If you place an order through the feed store you get what you want plus they pick em up at the post office and get em started on feed and water by the time you get to them. At least thats what I did with my feed store when I bought a box of Welsummers. great bird you can visually sex them by color.... so I ordered 30 25 girls and five boys.

There are also local breeders where you can get chicks they may or may not advertise in your local craigslist. Get on to the Arizona discussion list and ask a few questions....

Where ever you look. Be sure to find out which birds can handle your climate. It gets 105 in my neck of the desert so not too hot so I can have pretty much what ever I want... Where My cousins live in the Mojave.... Care has to be taken to select birds that are heat hearty... they get 120s on a regular basis with a few spikes to 135...

And for what its worth I know of a fellow here that has Geese and Ducks in Death valley. He has to put down carpet and keep it wet so no one burns their flippies....

deb

 

[skcg]

Thanks! We don't have a feed store that carries chicks, but I've called Cal Ranch in Flagstaff, 53 miles from here, and they say they'll be getting some in. I think I'll go see if I can pre order next time I go to the "big city", Iv'e done research and have settled on the golden laced wyandottes, good for cold as well as heat, we get pretty cold here in Winslow, and up to 100 occasionally and plus they're soooo beautiful! I'm still trying to plan a good coop that I can build myself that will protect well from predators and still be user friendly for me.

 

[perchie.girl]

Thanks! We don't have a feed store that carries chicks, but I've called Cal Ranch in Flagstaff, 53 miles from here, and they say they'll be getting some in. I think I'll go see if I can pre order next time I go to the "big city", Iv'e done research and have settled on the golden laced wyandottes, good for cold as well as heat, we get pretty cold here in Winslow, and up to 100 occasionally and plus they're soooo beautiful! I'm still trying to plan a good coop that I can build myself that will protect well from predators and still be user friendly for me.

Ooh youre in a mild climate Yay. There are several good lthreads about chicken coop building. I am on two that are pretty awesome

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/631861/diy-thread-lets-see-your-inventions

and

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here/

there is aloso the BYC Coops section where you can paruse all different successful styles done here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops

rule of thumb four square feet Minimum per large fowl.... in the coop. And ten square feet Minimum in an enclosed run. More is better...

I prefer a coop I can walk in and where i can also store my feed and bedding... easy access.

deb

 

[skcg]

OO thank you! Yes, it seems to me that one you can walk into would be most convenient. I also read a little blerb in here somewhere, that some don't feed IN the coop but keep the feed and water in the run and it helps keep the coop cleaner because at night the hens don't eat anyway. True or bad idea?

 

[perchie.girl]

OO thank you! Yes, it seems to me that one you can walk into would be most convenient. I also read a little blerb in here somewhere, that some don't feed IN the coop but keep the feed and water in the run and it helps keep the coop cleaner because at night the hens don't eat anyway. True or bad idea?

true.... I would guess. I dont have a "normal" enclosed coop though so I will defer of others have a different opinion.


What i have learned over the years is what works for some does not work for others. Especially environmentally. My place is in the high desert HOT in the summer and some snow in the winter... but very very dry... so my coop areas are only sheltered over the roosts.

deb

 

[MeepBeep]

OO thank you!  Yes, it seems to me that one you can walk into would be most convenient.  I also read a little blerb in here somewhere, that some don't feed IN the coop but keep the feed and water in the run and it helps keep the coop cleaner because at night the hens don't eat anyway.  True or bad idea?

Not a bad idea, as long as you are diligent and open the coop every morning on time to let them out... On the flip side one missed opening (forget, distracted or whatever) in the dead of summer and you could cook the birds stuck in there with no water...

Also food out in the run is generally harder to keep rodents out of vs in the coop, so that has to be weighed in...

Either way evaluate your own situation and find what works best for you, there is no right or wrong...

 

[seminolewind]

I have all my feed bowls set up with a can or home depot 5 gallon bucket on a pulley above it and just have to lower them at night. I have 2 that I have to put the can on manually, LOL. It keeps everything out especially if it's sitting on a cement patio tile. So everyone's food is covered up at night, and I have 3 bait stations.

 

[skcg]

ooo lil thief critters , hadn't thought about that.