Informal Survey - What do you feed and why?

[Wisher1000]

From hatch to 8 weeks, they have medicated Chick Starter available 24/7.

From 8 to 16 weeks, they get 1/2 chick starter, 1/2 All Flock pellets, and grit (24/7.) If they pick around the pellets, I increase the percentage of Starter.

From 16 weeks on, they get All Flock and free choice oyster shell (24/7.)

The breeders get 8 parts All Flock, 1 part BOSS, 1 part Calf Manna, 3 parts Chick Starter, free choice oyster shell and grit (24/7.)

I try to free range as much as possible. The layer flock free ranges almost every day, all day. The breeders get out about every third day because I rotate letting three different pens free range. I feed treats whenever I have them but with three teenage boys in the house, there are rarely any leftovers. I will occasionally buy scratch to give when I want to call them all up, but have found that the family feeds them too much of it if it is there.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Mine free range daily also...or as much as possible. I toss the egg shells back into the run for the hens to recycle. They also get kitchen scraps, garden forage, regular scratch, oyster shell free choice, shrimp shells, scrambled eggs once in a while, bugs and critters while they free range.

 

[chickwhispers]

(Currently 22) Hens :

Dumor & Purina Layer Pellets
Dumor & Purina Flock Raiser
Free choice oyster/ egg shells
Free range most of day weather permissible (Not in stormy or windy winter below 15)

Treats & supplemental
I just started this winter with sprouted seeds and still trying to get a good set up
BOSS and/or scratch 1-2 week- No more than can eat in 10 min -
-[except when cold then on extra cold (below 15°) then daily or every other day depending on weather ]
cooked oatmeal during extra cold weather
scrambled eggs when I have enough cracked 1x week or every other week or so.
fruit and vegetable scraps

Chicks - Starter feed Dumor or Purina
scrambled eggs when needed or if I have cracked eggs.
No treats until after 6 weeks

Good Luck!

 

[Kaessa]

Dumor Chick Starter (crumbles) plus brewer's yeast for the babies (1 week old).

Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles for the big kids. I'll transition the babies to that from the Chick Starter when they're a bit older. I wish they had Flock Raiser in pellets, but they seem to be doing ok on the crumble.

I also give everyone peas and kale as often as possible for a snack. The littles LOVE the peas and kale. The bigger girls aren't so hot on kale, but they loves them some peas. I'm trying to get the littles used to trying lots of different food, since the bigger girls are REALLY afraid of new food. I blame the people who owned them before, they just turned them out and fed them Dumor crumbles occasionally, but mostly left them to forage in their yard.

 

[gevshiba]

Adult birds (chickens& turkeys) get Texas Natural non GMO, no soy broiler/grower -fermented. They get a couple cups of hen scratch at night, sometimes in the morning, too with their greens and veggies. Scratch is all whole grains with almost no corn. Free choice oyster shell & grit.

If I have poults, all poults and chicks get Texas Natural Game Bird starter. If it's just chicks, they get chick starter. Never medicated. I wet the chick feed slightly, but only ferment when they are older because it makes a mess in the brooder.

I hope to switch feeds back to what I previously fed, but there's no retailer in this area any more. I've contacted the company and they are going to try to find one in my area. Texas Natural is ok, but I prefer the other that is organic. I can't eat soy, so don't want what I eat, eating it. Non GMO is important to me. Texas Natural isn't organic, which means chemical pesticides can be used and I don't like that.

 

[lalaland]

this is so interesting! never heard of feeding calf manna, gonna have to look into it

I feed an 18% protein all flock mash from the local feed mill, usually wet with water from cooking/milk/apple juice/plain water/ whatever liquid is around the house. during the winter, I add sprouts/cabbage/apples/squash/leftover veggies/salad/ grated carrots. summer I add garden leftovers.

they have access to woods/meadow/pasture/lawn a couple of hours daily/ more during weekends, during the summer. ground is frozen here 6-7 months a year.

crushed eggshells and oyster shells, granite grit always avail.
scratch is corn and oats, usually tossed in the run or coop in the winter.
probiotics in the water every other week.
dried comfrey every couple of weeks in the winter added to the mash.
chopped garlic cloves every couple of weeks year round

brewers yeast as a boost if they seem like they could use it.

I dont cook meat that often but will topdress the feed with drippings when I do.

 

[seminolewind]

I have been feeding Layena crumbles. I changed to pellets because I read that they keep better weight with pellets
I am changing to a higher protein pellet because when I think of all the free ranging, treats and such , I am not anywhere near even 16%. I like that Feather Fixer (Nutrena country feeds?) I will check into that flock raiser. I mix oyster shell in with their treats everyday. They get 10% horse sweet feed for a treat. It's 100% oats and molasses. 1 quart for 30 chickens and 4 geese. I share leftovers when I have them.

 

[caychris]

Forgot the chicks. Purina Medicated Starter crumbles to 8-12 weeks then Purina Flock raiser crumbles till POL (may switch to king but fed purina last year will make a similar mash as the big girls get every so often)

 

[ochochicas]

Lay pellet - Purina Layena pellets (~35% of diet)

Maintence pellet - whatever is on sale (~35% of diet)
Percent Protein 18%
Scratch - No particular brand ~ 5% of diet
Non-GMO No
Non-soy No
Organic NO
Medicated Never
Non-medicated yes!
Table scraps - All kinds of "human" food fed daily ~20% of diet (vegetables, strawberries, bananas, cereal, pulp from the juicer, bread, etc.)
Oyster shell - mixed in with pellets once a week.

Grass, bugs, "salad" from my flower beds, worms. etc ~ 5 % of diet.

 

[WildfireSmitty]

I mill my own feed by the tonne. All my poultry are free roaming. No meds.

My grain feed program has been created through a natural Agricultural/Feed specialist.
they get a certain ratio of:

Barley
wheat
oats
peas
double duty oyster shells.
Salt

They get flax screenings with all sorts of seeds and grains as a treat in moderation.

They get all vegetable scraps. They also get all of our garden culls from our 1 acre garden (heritage/heirloom produce chemical free)

I have a connection for a natural pre-mix with no synthetics. 50kg per tonne of feed. I also add hay into their feed during winter.