Best brand of laying feed for chickens

[mossyoakpro]

When I was looking up about feed it said to avoid fish and soy, but every brand says soy or mystery source

Any advice on what brands are safest and best for laying hens? I don't have the time right now to try to make feed from scratch

I am somewhat new to chickens(mine are 6 mos old) and when I was just about finished with the starter/grower I asked the question about feed. On the advice of the folks on here I went with an "all flock" feed with 20% protein with a side of oyster shell for the layers.
Best thing ever!! My flock is slick and pretty and lay eggs that are extremely hard. I have a young cockerel so that is why I went with the non calcium feed, he is just as important to my operation as the layers so I want what's best for him too. Best of luck and welcome aboard!!

 

[Sally PB]

This is by far the BEST information spot for all things chicken related.

There is, collectively, hundreds of years of experience on this site. And people are very willing to share what they know.

 

[K0k0shka]

The internet is full of wannabe "experts" that are writing blogs for clicks and fame, but know nothing about chickens. Chickens are a fad right now, and the internet is reflecting that. Same goes for various local facebook chicken groups. A lot of myths and misinformation circulate out there. And a LOT of paranoia! I agree with those who said to use this forum instead. There are lots of people on here who have actual experience, and methods that they've tested over time. This site is the best chicken resource out there!

I'm another one of the big fans of flock raiser type of feeds. I use Purina Flock Raiser which is 20% protein and covers all my needs - growing chicks, laying hens, males, retired freeloaders. And I provide calcium on the side (unlimited supply of crushed eggshell, though oyster is fine too). Fish and soy are fine, and Purina is a large and trusted brand so I leave it up to them what they put in there. I'd rather them make use of byproducts from the fish industry that work for this purpose, than add them to a landfill and burden the environment further by creating a whole new pipeline for chicken feed protein. Chickens are scavengers, they don't need organic grass fed filet mignon for their protein needs.

 

[NatJ]

...an "all flock" feed with 20% protein with a side of oyster shell for the layers...
...I have a young cockerel so that is why I went with the non calcium feed, he is just as important to my operation as the layers so I want what's best for him too.

There seems to be a common misconception that chick starter and all-flock feed have no calcium. That is false.

All chickens need some calcium. All complete chicken feeds contain some calcium.
Layers need more calcium than non-layers, so layer feed has the higher level of calcium.
Chick starter and all-flock have the lower level of calcium that is right for non-laying chickens.

 

[Brooks_]

There seems to be a common misconception that chick starter and all-flock feed have no calcium. That is false.

All chickens need some calcium. All complete chicken feeds contain some calcium.
Layers need more calcium than non-layers, so layer feed has the higher level of calcium.
Chick starter and all-flock have the lower level of calcium that is right for non-laying chickens.

I think it's moreso a common mis-speak. Still needs to be addressed when it comes up. I would not want someone to read and look for no calcium as it just won't be found.

 

[altballard]

Does anyone have an opinion on Kalmback's Flock Maker 20% verse Kalmback's Flock Maintainer 16%?
I have 3 that are now 10 weeks old right now so everyone is on the Flock Maker as my 9 Layer kept eating the baby food. Momma was OK, but the other were just being big piggies! Pics of the Babies at 10 weeks!
I'm still working on talking my hubs into keeping the baby Cockrell (not sure I spelled that correctly and spell check is not helping!). I'm wanting to get into breeding in the future too, IF I can talk him in to it!

 

[NatJ]

the baby Cockrell (not sure I spelled that correctly and spell check is not helping!).

Correct spelling for a young male chicken: cockerel (I think of it as cock-er-el when I need to spell it.)

Spell check is hopeless with words that are spelled "correctly" but are not the word you want, which can be very frustrating sometimes!

 

[NatJ]

Does anyone have an opinion on Kalmback's Flock Maker 20% verse Kalmback's Flock Maintainer 16%?
I have 3 that are now 10 weeks old right now so everyone is on the Flock Maker as my 9 Layer kept eating the baby food. Momma was OK, but the other were just being big piggies!

I have no personal experience but after looking at the company's website:
either one will probably work.
The higher protein is probably better for growing birds and for layers, so if possible I would go with the 20% rather than the 16%.

The layers need more calcium than that food provides, so I hope you have a dish of oyster shell available to them. (Chickens are usually good at eating the right amount of calcium for their own needs, so the chicks mostly ignore it and the layers help themselves as needed.)

As long as you have oyster shell available too, that food should be fine for all chickens of all ages.

 

[thecatumbrella]

If someone really wanted to feed soy-free, Nutrena makes something called "Hearty Hen" that's an 18% protein pelleted layer feed. But as always, spot on advice from the BYC crowd.

 

[altballard]

I have no personal experience but after looking at the company's website:
either one will probably work.
The higher protein is probably better for growing birds and for layers, so if possible I would go with the 20% rather than the 16%.

The layers need more calcium than that food provides, so I hope you have a dish of oyster shell available to them. (Chickens are usually good at eating the right amount of calcium for their own needs, so the chicks mostly ignore it and the layers help themselves as needed.)

As long as you have oyster shell available too, that food should be fine for all chickens of all ages.

Yes, we have oyster shells and eggs shells on the side even when the big girls were on layer as we had a few of them laying soft shells and wanted to make sure they had everything they needed. The girls love the Egg shells the best, but use the oyster shells like grit even thou there is grit there too.
I'll never switch to a layer feed again before 6 months of age again! got 2 or 3 girls stuck at a medium size egg when the other 6 are doing large to extra large eggs and they are the same breed, or hybrid I should say.