Organic Chicken Raising Newb So Cal!

[SomisChickens]

I attempted to raise chicken 6 months ago, and my flock was attacked by weasels.
We determined it was a weasel.
I am finally ready to try again.
I am going to purchase the coop ready chicks 6-10 weeks old, as well as get a larger flock of 6 instead of 4.
I am purchasing from dare2dream which does home deliveries.
I am now looking into organic feed from scratch and peck feeds.
Does anyone have any experience with these suppliers?
Also dare2dream recommends starter feed until18 months.
Other information I have read said I should be on grower feed.
I have not checked local feed stores to see who supplies organic feed.
I am located in Southern California.
Any tips are appreciated!!
Thanks
Sara

 

[Pork Pie]

Depending on the brand, there is generally little difference between starter / grower food, apart from particle size, so i would not worry too much about the advice thats been given.

You could search for your state thread (theres are north and south Cali ones) and maybe someone will be able to help you with your questions further.

CT

 

[SomisChickens]

Great idea! I really tried and cannot find state threads!
Please help

 

[Pork Pie]

Here you go

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/25/california-northern/66420


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/161/california-southern/5620

 

[QueenMisha]

Scratch and Peck I have mixed feelings about. They quality and sourcing of their ingredients is good. However, whole grain diets can be problematic, as the chickens are likely to pick the tastiest seeds from the mixture, resulting in an unbalanced diet. Also, Scratch and Peck generally costs some serious $$$.

Personally I prefer Bar Ale. The ingredient quality and sourcing is just as good, mixes are well formulated, and their prices are quite a bit better.

Starter feed until eighteen months?! I have never in my life seen a bird fed like that. Most quit starter at eight to ten weeks, at the latest sixteen or twenty. Keep em on nothing but starter that long and you're gonna see calcium and thiamine deficiencies pretty quickly.

Everyone has their own preferred regimen, personally I do medicated starter until eight weeks, and non-medicated grower or flock raiser from eight weeks onward, supplemented with oyster shell. I don't feed layer anymore due to mixed species and genders, when I used to I would switch them once the majority were laying and all were at least eighteen weeks of age.