Dont mean to sound dumb but I have a ??

[KingsCalls]

I buy scratch, maintenance pellets or crumbles, laying pellets or crumbles and rolled oats. I mix according to time of year. But, I never mix a ratio of more than 1/4 scratch.....the corn in scratch creates extra body heat in the birds(if they get cold in winter, they will pick the corn out theirself if they need it) Corn also over time will give a white bird a brassy scheen(not desirable) Pellets and crumbles are easy for birds to break down and most have the needed nutrients in them.

 

[rooster-red]

Layer feed has added calcium in it - Its good for hens becuse it strengthens the egg shells and helps replace some of their bodies calcium that is used to produce eggs.

A general feed in basically layer feed without the added calcium.

Now, if you feed your rooster layer feed for an extended time it can cause serious problems because the rooster isn't depleting the calcium like the hens are, so that calcium builds up and causes problems.

Away to feed everyone what they need would be to feed all of them general feed and have a bowl of oyster shell that the hens can eat from free choice.
Your rooster will ignore the oyster shell.

If you can't get oyster shell. you can feed their egg shells back to them. You'll need to bake them first, then put them in a bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into small pieces.

Theres no need to run out and buy the general feed, you just might consider it after the layer feed runs out.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
I tried mixing the scratch in like this and my crazy birds picked out all the scratch and left the regular feed, just wasted it.

 

[Wildsky]

You're good with words Red....

And I didn't even THINK of the Roo - good thing I'm not feeding layer feed.

I've not put out oyster shell, or egg shells - we got our first egg a couple of days ago - and it was strong and "well constructed" (LOL) Anyway, I'm glad I didn't buy layer, I'll add some egg shell (easy enough)
Perhaps my girls are getting their extra nutrients from all the darn Grasshoppers!

 

[chickengirlnm]

well today is the first day on the layer feed for my girls- I always seem to forget to includeClyde my little roo !! i guess him eating the layer feed for right now we will be alright I only got one bag - and believe me it will go pretty fast - than I guess I will have to get general feed the problem is where I get my feed at only sells -- scratch,layer,cracked corn for chickens.

so do I go back to the scratch and just add eggshells?
and if needed throw a handful or 2 of cracked corn out when it is really really cold?

just when I think I have it all figured out- I get confused again LOL

Julie

 

[Wildsky]

Julie, ask them at the feed store - they must have something... or start calling around, to other feedstores and see if there is another store within driving distance that has what you need.

Don't go back to the scratch, its not really FOOD its missing a lot more nutrients than calcium. You'll find something....

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I've always fed my roosters the same feed as the laying hens...no problems...

 

[chickengirlnm]

I would love to keep them on the layer feed , but I am worried that it will cause problems for my little roo.

I gave them the layer feed this morning and they went crazy from it - and only gave them a small handful of cracked corn.
If feeding the layer feed - would not hurt my roo than I would love to keep them on it.
I will call a few feed stores this morning and see what they have.

what should the ducks be eating? right now they eat whatever the chickens do.


Julie