Calling All Chicken Dieticians

[LizGio]

Background:
My flock (sexed to the best of my knowledge so far, will have to wait to be 100% sure):

-2 Rhode Island Red pullets
-2 Rhode Island cockerels
-1 Golden Comet Pullet
-1 Mystery Chick possibly related to GC and most likely a cockerel.

On the way:
4 1-week-old silkies

I plan to rehome all of my males once they are a little larger since I have small children. Side question: When is the best time to give them the boot?

My main question:
What is the best food for chicks and hens to share? Please be brand specific. I have oyster shell ready for when it becomes necessary for layers. I'm under the impression that layer feed is junk that has only the bare minimum of what layers need. I also don't necessarily want to break the bank so basically what's the best bang for my buck for highly nutritious food for both ages.

I'm sorry if this threat already exists but I did look for it first.

 

[Penpal]

The best time to boot the RIR roosters is now. They are aggressive and will pick on anyone who is smaller than they are- - like the new silkies.

New chicks should be on a nondedicated crumble. Look for probiotics in the recipe. With probiotics they will eat less/poop less. Once that bag is empty go for layer pellets, 16% protein. The quality of the feed varies with the brand. I buy from Vita-Plus, which is the best I can get. If there is no Vita-Plus in your area, check the labels. I have been adding water to the chick feed (actually, the four wee chicks are eating the layer feed now) and they love it turned to mash.

A good mix of seeds and grains make a good feed. If you let them sprout the digestibility goes way up, and the chemical reactions make for a higher quality feed. It would also be much cheaper to feed, if you can get the seeds. Corn is high in carbs, but they are growing so they can use the carbs, and sprouting will lessen the carb ratio. Corn should be on the lesser quantity. Wheat, barley, flax, you can find recipes on the net.

 

[Weeg]

The best time to boot the RIR roosters is now. They are aggressive and will pick on anyone who is smaller than they are- - like the new silkies.

New chicks should be on a nondedicated crumble. Look for probiotics in the recipe. With probiotics they will eat less/poop less. Once that bag is empty go for layer pellets, 16% protein. The quality of the feed varies with the brand. I buy from Vita-Plus, which is the best I can get. If there is no Vita-Plus in your area, check the labels. I have been adding water to the chick feed (actually, the four wee chicks are eating the layer feed now) and they love it turned to mash.

A good mix of seeds and grains make a good feed. If you let them sprout the digestibility goes way up, and the chemical reactions make for a higher quality feed. It would also be much cheaper to feed, if you can get the seeds. Corn is high in carbs, but they are growing so they can use the carbs, and sprouting will lessen the carb ratio. Corn should be on the lesser quantity. Wheat, barley, flax, you can find recipes on the net.

@U_Stormcrow

 

[Weeg]

My main question:
What is the best food for chicks and hens to share? Please be brand specific. I have oyster shell ready for when it becomes necessary for layers. I'm under the impression that layer feed is junk that has only the bare minimum of what layers need. I also don't necessarily want to break the bank so basically what's the best bang for my buck for highly nutritious food for both ages.

I feel my birds a starter, grower, or all Flock their entire lives. I don't like to feed layer to any of my birds since I plan on having them for as long as possible. The extra calcium in layer can actually damage the kidneys overtime. That is because roosters, hens who are molting, broody, overwinter, older, or not laying consistently for one reason or another dont need the extra calcium. Plus, grower/starter tends to have high protein, which I prefer.
I would recomend a grower, starter, or All flock to feed all your birds their entire lives. Which you choose or have available doesn't matter much, it's all practically the same thing.
For brand, I like to choose something that is Organic and Non-GMO, but thats a personal preference of mine that I wont get into.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I usually recommend that the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices feed an All Flock/Flock Raiser* type crumble to all their birds, all their lives, with free choice grit, osyter shell, and fresh clean water available at all times in seperate dishes. Without regard to age, gender, onset of of lay, condition of molt, etc.

*Essentially an 18-20% protein, 3.5% fat+/-, 1.5% calcium +/-, 3.5% fiber +/- feed, preferably with about .6% Phosphorus, at least .35% Methionine, and .7% Lysine.

Because its easy for you, and its good nutrition for them.

All of my adult birds - chickens and ducks - get exactly the same feed, which happens to be 20% protein. I feed my youngsters a higher protein mix for their first 6-8 weeks (basically, until they join the adult flock) as I have facilites to separate the flocks. My reasons for that are complicated, its not something I recommend for everyone. But All Flock, all the time, for all the birds of all the genders is a safe and easy way to raise chickens, ducks, geese. Doing something different has limited benefits in limited conditions, and should only be considered after weighing all practical options.

My flock is in my Sig, below. You can see the results of me feed regimen here.


...and since you asked to name brands, while I no longer use it myself (cheap, regional alternative at the local family feed store) - Purina's Flock Raiser Crumbles are widely available, reasonably priced, off the shelf solution I believe to be marginally superior nutritionally to the Nutrena Naturewise All Flock - but both are just fine off the shelf solutions.

 

[Weeg]

I plan to rehome all of my males once they are a little larger since I have small children. Side question: When is the best time to give them the boot?

Do note, I've had roo's that do well with kids. You can't count on all roo's being that way, but my boy who I've had for years is fantastic with kids. Overall afraid of people including children, and not a mean bone in his body. He is the best flock protector I've ever had as well. He's an RIR/Orp cross. I also have a friend who breeders English Jubilee Orpingtons. The sweetest roosters I've ever met in my life. They do great with people, fantastic with the hens, and even better with other roosters. All the extra cockerels we have that are too young to breed, to young to harvest, etc, we put in the Orp pen. He'll check them out, a few light pecks to show dominance, but never attacks them. Same with full grow roo's. He's incredible.
Anyway, kind of went off on a lib there, but if you wanted to raise some up and see if you got a good one, it wouldn't hurt. You might get lucky.

Back your your question, any age really. I would post them for rehoming on your local FB poultry pages. I find that is the very best way to rehome roo's. About 50% get adopted out on mine. It could take a while for you to find a good home for them, so that is why I recommend posting young.

 

[Egg Blues]

I make my own chick starter, using a blender with a combination of cracked corn, rice, and beans. My chickens, and even my two-day old chick, absolutely love cooked rice--though this is more of a calorie source than for other nutritional benefits. I don't trust the commercial stuff for any of my chickens, and I've noticed that the fecal matter of the chickens on commercial mash was much more odiferous than that of my naturally fed chickens. Changing their diet removed the stench--just my personal observation. I don't know the reason for this, only that there was a clear connection between their feed and the odor. In my opinion, feeding the birds a wide selection of natural foods, including grains, greens, and legumes, is the best policy. Some reports indicate that if hens lay colored eggs, the pigments in those eggs may be richer if the hens are fed foods that contain similar colors; e.g. a blue-egg laying hen may have eggs of a deeper hue when fed purple cabbage, etc.

 

[LizGio]

I make my own chick starter, using a blender with a combination of cracked corn, rice, and beans. My chickens, and even my two-day old chick, absolutely love cooked rice--though this is more of a calorie source than for other nutritional benefits. I don't trust the commercial stuff for any of my chickens, and I've noticed that the fecal matter of the chickens on commercial mash was much more odiferous than that of my naturally fed chickens. Changing their diet removed the stench--just my personal observation. I don't know the reason for this, only that there was a clear connection between their feed and the odor. In my opinion, feeding the birds a wide selection of natural foods, including grains, greens, and legumes, is the best policy. Some reports indicate that if hens lay colored eggs, the pigments in those eggs may be richer if the hens are fed foods that contain similar colors; e.g. a blue-egg laying hen may have eggs of a deeper hue when fed purple cabbage, etc.

That's awesome you are able to do that! Unfortunately, I am not. I prefer a commercial feed for now.

 

[Weeg]

That's awesome you are able to do that! Unfortunately, I am not. I prefer a commercial feed for now.

I think this is a good choice. Making a homemade feed like suggested above is not complete or balanced. Its very very difficult to make a complete and balanced food, and corn is very high in fat, and should not be a large portion of the diet. I recommend a commercial feed over a homemade feed like previously suggested. I think its a much better idea.

 

[saysfaa]

...
My main question:
What is the best food for chicks and hens to share? Please be brand specific. I have oyster shell ready for when it becomes necessary for layers. I'm under the impression that layer feed is junk that has only the bare minimum of what layers need. I also don't necessarily want to break the bank so basically what's the best bang for my buck for highly nutritious food for both ages. ...

The best food for chicks and hens to share is all-flock, grower, or starter of most of the name brands and many of the local brands. Purina, for a specific one.

Layer feed is not junk. It doesn't give a lot extra, especially of the higher priced components, but it gives enough for a laying hen; too much of most components is as bad as not enough. Thankfully, the range between not enough and too much is quite wide for most nutrients; the range is wide enough that enough for the chicks, of any given nutrient, is not too much for the layers even though the layers don't need it.

As for your side question; as soon as you are sure which are the cockerels unless you want to feed them out for meat. Less feed, less attachment by you or the chicks, less drama among the chicks.