Very fun! Hope they're enjoying their exploring time!
Feedwise, I have heard it's easier on them to slowly transition to a new feed. Seems smart and isn't too hard to do if you buy the new feed before you're done with the old.
The way you phrased your post brought out a lot of responses from experienced folks. It's always cool to see different perspectives and recipes for success.
Layer feed contains more calcium since it's made for layers, who need it to make eggshells. Attached is a picture of 2 feed labels, chick...
Chickens can run into a lot of health issues in those first couple years. Sorry about your losses! You're smart to keep evaluating your setup (though it looks conscientious and clean). I'm the same: I don't think I'll ever stop researching ways to improve.
x2 for...
A) Dialing back DE. There's...