Feed advice for a newbie?

[SENrn]

I am new to raising chickens also. Do I wait until 16 wks to change over to layer diet? And how soon do you start adding Sunflower seeds and bird seeds?

 

[limited25]

They need the layer feed when they start laying eggs, along with oyster shell or dried crushed egg shells (put the oyster shells in a separate bowl). Put the grit in with their feed. You will be able to tell when they are getting close to laying eggs because their combs will turn redder. A lot of people feed their chickens black oil sunflower seeds as a treat, and not along with their food (but some people do add it ... personal preference). You need to watch the protein in the feed and make sure it is 16% (can't remember right now if layer is 16% or 18% but shouldn't be hard to look up). Treats you should limit to 10% of their diet.

 

[SENrn]

Thank you.

 

[limited25]

Here is another website with a lot of good info also. It also has videos you can watch (which aren't long) and are an enjoyable way to learn a lot of topics about chickens (under chicken care articles).

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/p/dietnutritiontreats.html

 

[SENrn]

Here is another website with a lot of good info also.  It also has videos you can watch (which aren't long) and are an enjoyable way to learn a lot of topics about chickens (under chicken care articles).

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/p/dietnutritiontreats.html

 

[SENrn]

Thank you. Much appreciated!

 

[CoopDeVilla]

It took me a while to find them when I was starting out, but you have GOT to find a feed store if you are going to keep chickens. They will have almost everything you need! GOOGLE things like "feed store" "chicken food" "farm supply"...

Amazon is another great resource!

Keeping chickens is addicting, and you will be wise to make your set-up (coop) as easy to maintain as possible. If it gets smelly, and flies start hanging around it will lose it's allure. These will not be cheap eggs LOL, but the rewards of those little cluckers is SO worth it! Constant entertainment AND fresh eggs from happy hens ~

 

[CoopDeVilla]

When I make breakfast, I put the egg shells on top of the toaster to dry them out. Then I crush them very fine to put in a side dish for the cluckers ; )

 

[river46201]

Mix grit with the food though, and oyster shell on the side like Ardj said.  Crushed egg shells are ok to substitute for oyster shell.  

Ok...I'm confused....as a "newbie" here, I've been getting conflicting reports...TO feed or NOT TO FEED eggshells...some say it gives them extra calcium, some say they can develop "a taste" for them & start canibalising their fresh eggs.....how do a know which is right??

 

[limited25]

Dried crushed egg shell will not cause them to become cannibals. It is a substitute for oyster shells for some people. It is just a matter of personal preference whether you want to use that or oyster shells, which they will need when laying eggs.

I have cooked eggs (hard boiled or fried) and chopped them up and fed them to my chickens on occasion ... that will also not cause them to become cannibals. If a chicken breaks open a raw egg and eats that, they will discover how good eggs taste and then will probably keep doing it ... and the others will see that chicken do it, do it too; and then you will have a problem.