chicken feed confusion!!!!! need answers!!!

[Poohbear]

If you want the best for your fowl, remember that corn starts losing it's nutrition as soon as it is cracked so find a hand grain grinder and grind whole corn daily as you feed it. That way your birds get 100% of the nutriants in the corn while it's still fresh. You can buy Whole corn at your local feed store. Always make sure it is not dusty or moldy or has bugs in it when you buy it. I take a roll of Duct (Duck?) tape in my tool box and cut open each sack, then reseal it if it's clean corn. Feed store don't mind much. They think I'm just a little weird, but I only want the best for my birds. More than once I have found weevils in my grain feeds. Don't buy feed that smells funny or looks powdery.

 

[the1much]

corn is the only thing left after feeding with my birds,,, they hate corn,,, man i got "special" birds

 

[Buckaroo]

Quote:
Mine do the same thing, figured I wouldn't feed them till they finished their corn, but didn't work. Then the darn tree rats thought I was feeding them, and have been trying to get rid of them ever since.

 

[TurtleChick]

so i called the feed store the other day (after deciding to try the flock raiser) to see if they had it, and yes! no problem, they say. do i need to put one on hold - i won't be able to make it in til friday? noooo problem, they say. so i go today, and guess what??? sold out of flock raiser. (mind you, we have to cross a toll bridge to get to the closest feed store...)

it's a very good thing that i really like the people who own/run the store... they're extraordinarily nice but also extraordinarily disorganized....

so for now, we're sticking with purina layena crumble!

 

[scooby]

well went to the other IFA the other day and they had the chick start, so got another bag ($18.00), so i guess i'll just put the layer in the shed till after winter..... also got a bag of cracked corn, they dont seem to bizerk over it, i'v been trying to though it out in the evening but only my little grey come out the coop to eat some real quick then runs back in to roost.... the others seem to not care 'bout it. o well maybe its just still too new!!!!

 

[mksenoj]

This was a very interesting topic. Have you found and food shavings in your cracked eggs from throwing feed into the wood shavings? We do this togive them something to do and several of our layers had wood shavings inside the eggs!

 

[the1much]

Quote:
ive never found anything but "egg parts" in my eggs

 

[Big Red's Mom]

My chickens love corn. I also put it out and mix it in the shavings.
I have never seen anything except egg stuff in the eggs.

I also have put out natural cat food as a treat. It is very high in protein and they love something different. I give them fresh veggies in the summer, so I try to keep them happy in the winter with special treats.

The main thing I feed them is layer pellets.
I have 13 hens and most days I get 9 - 13 eggs with healthy shells.

They do free range a couple hours every few days. When I can stand watch. (Bad dog comes to visit.)