All flock vs layer feed??

[Ted Brown]

Is this a pellet or crumble?

Crumble, see label in post 18 above.

 

[Kiki]

Is this a pellet or crumble?

Start and grow feeds are usually always a crumble...meant for chicks.

 

[Ponypoor]

Start and grow feeds are usually always a crumble...meant for chicks.

I bought Purina Gold’n start n grow it came in a crumble and short pellet. I bought the crumble and it was just dust, smelled great, but just dust.

 

[VicsChix]

Welcome to BYC @chayes04 . Most of us here, for most flocks, will recommend an "all flock" type formulation for all ages, all breeds, all genders all their lives, plus free choice oyster shell and free choice fresh clean water. Here's the high level summary. Its a common question around here.

Happy to address specific questions.

1) Yes, its reasonably safe, but not recommended. The older your girls are when they start eating "layer" before they are actually laying, the less likely there will be any effect all all. The younger they are, the more likely they will be affected, but mostly in ways that you will never notice (a little smaller, a little less well put together).

2) Yes, excess calcium is bad for everyone who doesn't need it. Again, age when starting, dosage, period of excess are all factors in how severely a given bird will be affected. And again, many of those consequences are easily overlooked if you don't know what to look for.

Very interesting here. What do you mean when you say “if you don’t know what to look for“? What does one look for? Thank you

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Very interesting here. What do you mean when you say “if you don’t know what to look for“? What does one look for? Thank you

In older birds, gout, excess urates, renal problems, powdery, bumpy eggs w/ calcium deposits (particularly on the narrow end), other joint abnormalities. Internally, calcium can start to deposit as a dry white powdery substance on the organs while it damages the kidneys and liver. At high concentrations, it can negatively affect egg laying, cause all kinds of neuromuscular issues, and misshapen joints.