Food gurus...need some help

[mossyoakpro]

I've never had issue. I've had 6-week-olds eating pellets (hubby accidentally gave them layer) and they were eating it like no big deal.

As far as this "developer" feed I'd have no issue using it as long as the calcium is around 1% (unless your littles have already started laying, which is unlikely). Assuming that's the case you can switch to this feed at any point.

I have oyster shell out all the time even when there's chicks running around. They may taste test it but shouldn't really want to eat it until they need it. To be safe you can just put out a minimal amount at first, to prevent any gorging, but you shouldn't have issue.

Actually the feed has less than 1% calcium in it...after reading things on here it appears that the way to go from here on out is to feed that higher protein, less calcium feed with a calcium supplement? I want what's best for the flock since I have a couple cockerals to feed as well.

Since I was going to have to buy some feed I figured I might could just start that new stuff...they free range most every day so they are really not eating a lot of feed, only in the mornings before I let them out and in the evenings when I put them up.

 

[rosemarythyme]

after reading things on here it appears that the way to go from here on out is to feed that higher protein, less calcium feed with a calcium supplement? I want what's best for the flock since I have a couple cockerals to feed as well.

Yes that's the best option for a mixed gender or mixed age flock. Only "issue" you may have is if you have layers not eating their calcium supplement, so now I offer both crushed eggshell and oyster shell to encourage them to eat some, but as a general rule most of them will crave it and consume enough to meet their needs.

 

[mossyoakpro]

Yes that's the best option for a mixed gender or mixed age flock. Only "issue" you may have is if you have layers not eating their calcium supplement, so now I offer both crushed eggshell and oyster shell to encourage them to eat some, but as a general rule most of them will crave it and consume enough to meet their needs.

So if they don't eat it I'll have to go to a layer feed for their calcium intake? I've been saving up eggshells and will get some oyster tomorrow when I pass by TSC. Any brand better than any other? Just curious....

 

[Brooks_]

So if they don't eat it

Rare that they would not.

Any brand better than any other?

Some say yes. I only had one option when I bought mine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

So if they don't eat it I'll have to go to a layer feed for their calcium intake? I've been saving up eggshells and will get some oyster tomorrow when I pass by TSC. Any brand better than any other? Just curious....

There's other options if you want to avoid layer feed... if it becomes a problem we can advise from there, depending on what the exact issue is (i.e. 1 bird not eating it can be a pretty easy fix).

For oyster shell, my personal choice is any brand of 100% crushed or flaked shell, instead of the pelleted limestone & shell & coral versions. I've heard birds are more likely to eat the former, though I've never bought the latter to compare. So my oyster shell dispenser is now about 50/50 crushed eggshell and flaked seashell.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

How tough is it to get them to eat pellets after growing up on crumbles?

You can begin mixing the two to transition.
I went back to crumble for everyone bc I have mixed ages. Oyster shell on side of course.

 

[mossyoakpro]

You can begin mixing the two to transition.
I went back to crumble for everyone bc I have mixed ages. Oyster shell on side of course.

The feed I'm going to only comes in pellets...if they don't like it I'll find another high protein food in crumble I suppose.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

The feed I'm going to only comes in pellets...if they don't like it I'll find another high protein food in crumble I suppose.

Some ppl grind or break the pellets. Seems labor intensive to do it but until they can handle the bigger morsel it may be an option.

 

[mossyoakpro]

Some ppl grind or break the pellets. Seems labor intensive to do it but until they can handle the bigger morsel it may be an option.

UPDATE!! New food picked up this morning....it comes in a mini pellet and they love it!! I put a little bit out on their "treat" tray and they gobbled it up. I'm going to start incorporating it into their feeder in the coming days as they finish up the starter crumble feed.

 

[BeeJayBird]

UPDATE!! New food picked up this morning....it comes in a mini pellet and they love it!! I put a little bit out on their "treat" tray and they gobbled it up. I'm going to start incorporating it into their feeder in the coming days as they finish up the starter crumble feed.

May I ask what feed you settled on and if you got it at Tractor Supply?