Best feed for show/breeding flock? Think I'm doing it wrong

[gabbyscritters]

Ok, I need your educated chicken knowledge.I am the mom of Gabby who raises and shows bamtams. My daughter is really into her banties but she is young so I help out and try to educate myself so she can have happy, healthy and pretty little chickens.

Her chickies have been on a worming and mite/lice program, have access to pens outside and over all are treated like royalty. She has small breeds, of various ages, seperated into small groups in breeder and growout pens.

We had them on a local mill made layer mash, stopped feeding that about 6 month ago, learned it had way to much corn.
Switched to Home Grown layer brand, 18% protein.
Recently switched to Purina Layena, 16% protein, as it seemed to have some vitamins that the Home Grown did not. I thought it was Purina, it must be good.
Youngsters do get starter and grower.

The more I keep reading on this site the more confused I am getting. I am thinking I'm going backwards, the protein is going down?

I think some of her birds are too thin, you can really feel their keel bone? Tried boss as a treat, they won't touch it.

I am not just looking for pretty, shiney chickens I want to keep them as healthy as possible.
Thanks

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use Dumor 20% for my silkies of all ages. If im going to show them, 2 or 3 months before i'll start them on Dumor 24% protein feed with some added black oil sunflower seeds, and some manna pro calf manna pellets. The older birds I will feed the 20% Dumor and rotate it with some lay mash from our feed mill. I'll also give the birds whole corn as a treat, and cracked corn as a treat for the chicks.


What breeds are they?

 

[gabbyscritters]

She has mainly dutch, pyncheon and ameracauna bantams plus a few misc banty girls.
We are trying to get them to like boss, they have no interest and most of her girls are real pigs about treats. Not sure if the chickens are too small for the seeds?
No other feed input from anyone?

 

[cybercat]

Purina and Dunmor have way to much corn and are not good feeds IMHO. 16% is OK for bantams but if you want show chickens 18% is better. Look for a better brand of feed Southern States, ADM, Kent are just a few. You might ask this down in the show section you will find more answers there.

 

[Cindy in PA]

If you don't mind the higher price ($19.74/40lbs. here), my chickens & guineas love Mazuri Gamebird breeder. It is tiny balls, as opposed to pellets or crumbles. It is 20% feed and has alfalfa & fish meal in it. Not everyone can get it. My Purina dealer orders it for me, but it is a 2 week wait each time. The 40lbs. usually lasts as long as a 50 lb. bag of Layena or other layer feed. I think the calcium is 3.5%, so not quite as high as regular layer. My birds do real well on it. JMHO

 

[gabbyscritters]

I found the Mazuri gamebird breeder and maintenance. Local feed store will order it in and it is only $2 more than the Purina Layena.
Also found Optimal foragecakes, trying those also.

Getting it in a week, just need to make the switchover. Any ideas on how to adjust them to new feed without stressing?