Advice with what feed to buy and when please

[Coop's Coop]

I think I fed the starter feed (non-medicated) until about 16 weeks and then changed them over to an All Flock feed. For a short time after the girls began laying I gave them layer feed, but have switched back to All Flock. My preferred brand is Country Lane All Flock Crumbles, but when they are out I get Nutrena Nature Wise All Flock Pellets. They seem to prefer the crumbles over pellets.

Layer feed is not necessary, but more of a choice. It does have added calcium that the boys don't need.

Edited to add: Wasted feed stinks..... I've tried a lot of things, and what is working best for me now is that I un-hung the hanging feeders and instead placed one in one of those big black rubber bowls. Now the feed falls in the bowl, but there isn't enough room to scratch it all out.

Thank you! I have one of the feeders in a potted plant saucer to catch what they scratch out but boy can those little girls make a mess!

 

[Coop's Coop]

I try to follow the Sustainable Poultry Network feed guidelines, which are a bit more complicated. Starter 1st quarter of development, grower 2nd quarter, then split pullets and cockerels and feed appropriate developer for the 3rd quarter, then cockerels that will be breeders go to holding while pullets go to layer and cockerels and pullets that won't be kept go to a finisher.

Ok thanks! I think Winnifred the Silkie might need to be renamed Winston and be rehomed ( or maybe kept if the crow collar works). I think he’s the only cockerel. We are at a max with 4 birds. Small suburban secret flock ssssshhhhhh!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... I cleaned the pipes and flushed it out and it did leak a bit from one of the nipples but I didn’t use thread tape when resealing it after cleaning.

Not related to the original post but just FYI, Teflon tape is for metal pipe. When used on PVC it is easy to overtighten. That can potentially split the female PVC fitting. A non-hardening pipe thread sealant is the best option for sealing PVC threaded fittings.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-thread-sealant-use-pvc-fittings-larry-workman/

 

[Coop's Coop]

Not related to the original post but just FYI, Teflon tape is for metal pipe. When used on PVC it is easy to overtighten. That can potentially split the female PVC fitting. A non-hardening pipe thread sealant is the best option for sealing PVC threaded fittings.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-thread-sealant-use-pvc-fittings-larry-workman/

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Coop's Coop]

Ok it seems there's varying advice on when to change to raiser and off of starter feed. We are using Purina medicated starter and the bag says 18 weeks, then layer. So maybe I'll just get one more bag of starter and then wean them on to raiser feed, then layer when they are old enough? They are currently 7 weeks ( oldest ones) and I'll run out of feed in a few days. I'm assuming I need to slowly transfer them to the next food right? Add some of the old and some of the new until the new is 100%? Thanks for your help everyone. Headed to TSC today!

I bit the bullet and they all slept in the coop last night for the first time. I've been so nervous about that as it's getting down to high 40's at night now. My son would be devastated if anything happened to them. There's a heating pad mama hen in there and they used it. It stayed 55F+ in the coop and when I came out this morning they were all happy and didn't seem cold. Of course I was a nervous wreck all night! I feel like I need a video baby monitor in there! They are fine but I'm the one freaking out about it. Lol!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's plenty old enough to be exposed to those temps. It is better to do so now so they can acclimate rather than wait and expose them to a bigger temperature swing.
Some people slowly transition feeds. However, I don't think it is necessary. The ingredients are going to be virtually the same aside from particle size and perhaps some amino acid changes but not likely.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
Of course I was a nervous wreck all night! I feel like I need a video baby monitor in there! They are fine but I'm the one freaking out about it. Lol!

That is not far fetched.
I was having such a problem with mink attacks that I did put a baby monitor in the coop and it allowed me to save about half of the birds as a mink was in the process of a murderous rampage in the middle of the night.

 

[Coop's Coop]

That is not far fetched.
I was having such a problem with mink attacks that I did put a baby monitor in the coop and it allowed me to save about half of the birds as a mink was in the process of a murderous rampage.

Ok I'm not nuts then! The coop is like Fort Knox and I shut them in that and out of the run last night. Still all night I was thinking...are the cold, scared, ok?! Would help if I can see what they are up to.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In the dark, they are hunkered down and sleeping.
Chickens are much more cold hardy than people think.
Make sure Fort Knox has plenty of big ventilation. That is much more important than warmth.

 

[Coop's Coop]

That's plenty old enough to be exposed to those temps. It is better to do so now so they can acclimate rather than wait and expose them to a bigger temperature swing.
Some people slowly transition feeds. However, I don't think it is necessary. The ingredients are going to be virtually the same aside from particle size and perhaps some amino acid changes but not likely.

Over the last 10 days or so we have had them outside during the day all day long (90-65F temps) and I've been leaving them out later and later at night as I'm training them to go in the coop at dusk.