Chicks in the winter, when can they go out side??

[Duckfarmer1]

Eating fast food is also unhealthy. But I know lots of people who do it all the time without horrible results. I personally buy layer, because it's cheap. The flock gets starter/allflock/feather fixer (whatever's cheapest) during the moult season and right before I collect hatching eggs, and only then. Is it best practice? No. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Definitely. But I have a (ignoring the juvies, who are eating separately) 19-bird layer flock, and they go through a little less than four bags a month. The three dollar cost difference adds up quickly, and I ain't paying no $144/year for two roosters.

Here the crumbles are the same price...

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I don't have experience with Purina so this is just a more generalized statement.

From what I've seen most growers and all flocks are pretty much the same. Starter usually has a little more protein and usually is a more fine grind or crumb, for little chicks.

Any reason you want to switch to organic? Obviously you can feed it if you want, but I believe "certified organic" requires that the chickens are on organic feed from the start. If this is just for home consumption it doesn't really matter what you call it, but just pointing out the difference in case you were thinking of selling eggs. I don't sell eggs but with my gardening and chicken keeping I try to stick as close to organic practices as possible, simply because that's how I prefer to eat.

We had this talk last night...we have a very large farm, and we sell produce at our market...organic grown...our friends asked us about our manure and what those animals ate and so on, etc, etc. We try our darnedest to eat organically. We definitely grown organically and sell it. But I don’t sell eggs at this point, so, at this point, my chickens are eating the feed that I buy at our local feed store, made in our town. I try to support the small town guys, because we are that guy too.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

We had this talk last night...we have a very large farm, and we sell produce at our market...organic grown...our friends asked us about our manure and what those animals ate and so on, etc, etc. We try our darnedest to eat organically. We definitely grown organically and sell it. But I don’t sell eggs at this point, so, at this point, my chickens are eating the feed that I buy at our local feed store, made in our town. I try to support the small town guys, because we are that guy too.

But, to add to that, I suppose I should start keeping track of how much we are spending on feed...but, would it matter? I read these posts, and most of you have thousand or so maybe invested in coop, etc..so does an extra $50 a year matter?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Could anything else be getting into your feed? Since I blocked my dog from helping herself, our feed costs are way down. But I couldn't give you a breakdown.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry, I know I am the queen of the second thought. Our 20 birds may go through two bags a month, tops. They free range about two hours in the afternoon and their pen (run) has forage. We also throw them about a cup and a half of scratch twice a day. I got nine eggs today.

Edit, spelling typo

 

[rosemarythyme]

But, to add to that, I suppose I should start keeping track of how much we are spending on feed...but, would it matter? I read these posts, and most of you have thousand or so maybe invested in coop, etc..so does an extra $50 a year matter?

Probably matters to a lot of people, especially if they need to recoup costs by selling eggs, hatching eggs, meat, etc.

With a small backyard flock (many typical suburban flocks are limited by space and ordinance to 3 - 6 hens max), especially if kept primarily or solely as pets, I would wager keepers are willing to spend more per bird in feed.

I happen to live in a more expensive area, so everything from feed to fencing companies to coop/shed builders cost higher overall, plus some of the feed stores tend to favor more expensive brands or smaller bags (since people aren't looking for 40-50 lb bags for tiny flocks), which costs more per pound.

 

[ElaynasChick]

I don't have experience with Purina so this is just a more generalized statement.

From what I've seen most growers and all flocks are pretty much the same. Starter usually has a little more protein and usually is a more fine grind or crumb, for little chicks.

Any reason you want to switch to organic? Obviously you can feed it if you want, but I believe "certified organic" requires that the chickens are on organic feed from the start. If this is just for home consumption it doesn't really matter what you call it, but just pointing out the difference in case you were thinking of selling eggs. I don't sell eggs but with my gardening and chicken keeping I try to stick as close to organic practices as possible, simply because that's how I prefer to eat.

Thank you, yes i was thinking of switching to organic because i personally want to eat organic eggs.

 

[ElaynasChick]

So i think i have decided to just keep them on the Purina Chick Starer Grower and maybe switch to organic because i just like eating organic better. Also for scratch i was thinking of making my own instead of buying a pre made bag, i was thinking of putting: whole corn, black oil sunflower seeds, non rolled oats, and add food grade Diaitmatious earth so it is lightly dusted on the scratch, does this sound like a good scratch recipe to use instead of a pre made one?? also when do you start feeding scratch?? So since i will be feeding the chick starter there entire life i will have a pan of oyster shells, will i still need regular grit like granite or once they are 16 weeks will i just keep feeding the same feed but replace there granite grit with oyster shells??

 

[aart]

So i think i have decided to just keep them on the Purina Chick Starer Grower and maybe switch to organic because i just like eating organic better.

That's fine if you aren't labeling and selling to the public.
Truly organic needs to be started at hatch.

Diaitmatious earth so it is lightly dusted on the scratch

No reason for DE at all, unless your grains/feed have bugs in it.

 

[NatJ]

So since i will be feeding the chick starter there entire life i will have a pan of oyster shells, will i still need regular grit like granite or once they are 16 weeks will i just keep feeding the same feed but replace there granite grit with oyster shells??

When they're old enough to lay, they need both oyster shell (for calcium) and grit (to grind their food with.) Before they're old enough to lay, they only need the grit.