Can I feed 19 week old laying hens 20% protein?

[lynviviana]

If it says "layer", that's too much calcium for the long term health of your roosters. 3.8% on average, in the case of the Nutrena Layer.

No guarantees, of course - its like smoking. No can can stare at a cigarette, and say "that's the one that will give you cancer". But we can say that the more often you smoke, and the longer you smoke, the better your chances of developing various cancers. (and then you may still die for completely unrelated reasons).

Same with roosters and high calcium diets. Maybe its a risk you are willing to take, in your management situation. Its all risk management and balancing trade offs.

conflicted in my decision at the moment. I was going to try all flock but then that'll mean id have to purchase oyster shells and that adds on to my monthly bill. Its something to consider.

 

[Brooks_]

conflicted in my decision at the moment. I was going to try all flock but then that'll mean id have to purchase oyster shells and that adds on to my monthly bill. Its something to consider.

Not really. The oyster shell is cheap and lasts a good while.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I understand. My oyster shell in a 50# bag cost me about $10 and lasts a year. All Flock/Flock raiser fron Nutrena Purina etc runs about $1.50 per 50# bag more than their equivalent Layer. For a "typical" backyard owner with 6-10 birds and feed consumption of 1.5 - 2.5# daily, it equals an extra $30 year in feed costs - but they benefit in better bird health, faster weight gain, easier molts, and an expected improvement in resistance to stressors - heat, disease, etc. - plus slightly improved egg quality (not shell, contents)

When you have a flock of 50 birds, however, that's more like a $150 a year difference in feed price. That's real money.

 

[Brooks_]

When you have a flock of 50 birds, however, that's more like a $150 a year difference in feed price.

Still, I wouldn't consider $12.50/month much.

 

[lynviviana]

Not really. The oyster shell is cheap and lasts a good while.

How often do I have to feed it

 

[U_Stormcrow]

How often do I have to feed it

You just throw it in a heavy bottomed bucket with some holes in the bottom so it can drain if it gets wet. The chickens willl eat it when they need it, ignore it when they don't. Periodically, you pour more in. The heavy bottom is so they don't tip it over.

I used to have mine nailed up, but the birds would perch on the edge and pile droppings into it. I found it unappetizing to look at, aqnd sometimes a bit odorous. OLower to the ground, they were less interested in perching on it, when they had better (higher) objects available.

 

[Brooks_]

How often do I have to feed it

Separate dish. They eat as needed. I use about 10 pounds a year for 12 hens.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Still, I wouldn't consider $12.50/month much.

depends on your margins. That's another 5 dozen eggs a month to break even for me. Its an economically depressed area in which we live.

With my older birds starting to molt (early) and my younger hatchlings mostly not yet laying (I'd anticipated having two more months...) my flock of near 50 chickens is only producing about 10 eggs a day, and my ducks aren't laying at present (my wife and I normally use those for our personal egg consumption) - so we are coming out of daily lay for both our own use and for eggs to incubate for hatching to replace culls. Suddenly an extra $12.50 a month matters when you are on fixed income and building a house while prices are on the increase for almost all other goods - electricity, gas, lumber!, concrete, steel, PVC and electrical wire, appliances...

Different situations, different relative value of that $12.50/mo...

I try not to assume what other's financial situations might be.

/edit and in the interest of full disclosure, to control costs, I don't follow the advice I typically offer here - but I don't have the typical backyard flock, or the typical management practices, because I don't have the typical end goals. I also have a greater stomach for risk than most. I like to pretend its an educated decision on my part, but there's a lot of uncertainty behind the math, and I'm still learning/adjuisting based on my real world experiences.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Does anyone know if nutrena 16% layer pellet is safe for roosters. I see on the TSC site someone asked that question and the response was yes. can anyone confirm???

Some tips in general when looking at feed:

1a) Ignore whatever it's named. Flock raiser is often the same as all flock is often the same as grower. Some starters are similar too. Each company has it's own formulation.

1b) NUTRITION PANEL is what matters. In the US all feeds must have a tag that specifies nutritional information. For a feed appropriate for all ages and genders of chickens look for a feed between 16-20% protein (most people would suggest higher, but 16% is generally minimum in US), and around 1% calcium.

2) If you intend on eating your males then it doesn't matter if you feed them layer feed (4% calcium) as they'll be dinner before they die of organ damage. Same if you plan on eating your hens once they're past optimum production.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The oyster shell should "live" wherever the chickens live, so it's constantly available to them. You don't "feed" it to them on a schedule, like a treat by throwing it on the ground, it'll get wasted. I keep mine in a gravity-type pet-food feeder. It's a clear plastic tank with about a gallon capacity with a bowl at the bottom. It fills from the top and lives in the hen house. I fill it up about once a year.

I have another one just like it filled with grit. Yes, chickens need grit available at all times, too, it's for digestion. It's also quite cheap. All the chickens need it. It goes unto their gizzards where it's used for grinding their food very small and fine, since they don't have teeth. Again, a bag lasts about a year for my 21 chickens.

Good management and providing what your chickens need is far cheaper in the long run than expensive vet bills or the cost of replacing hens lost to illness that could have been prevented by the simple expedient of having oyster shell or grit handy. Good luck in your "hen-deavors!"