Favorite Food Brand?

[cherrynberry]

We live in the country with open fields and woods also, probably lots of predators and I’ve been too scared to let them out of their secure run. Think I should still wait til they’re a little older? (10 weeks, 6 pullets, no Roo)

I watch my birds pretty much all day. They do not get let out if I am not home. I free range 10 week olds with the flock, but chicks tend to get taken easier, often (in my experience), without a trace or with little proof.

 

[cherrynberry]

We live in the country with open fields and woods also, probably lots of predators and I’ve been too scared to let them out of their secure run. Think I should still wait til they’re a little older? (10 weeks, 6 pullets, no Roo)

I also live in an open field area. The chicken area has trees though.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

We live in the country with open fields and woods also, probably lots of predators and I’ve been too scared to let them out of their secure run. Think I should still wait til they’re a little older? (10 weeks, 6 pullets, no Roo)

The only practical way to fence a large area is electric - and you just accept predator losses from the air, plus the need to walk the fence line routinely.

Mine cuts thru the woods (I'm slowly thinning those out, expanding my pasture), so I need to walk it more frequently than most. OTOH, I don't need to mow most of the path thru the woods.

No perfect answers, in chicken keeping, as in life. "Its complicated" and your risk tolerances will often be determinative.

I have birds in a not very secure run in the pasture, inside the electric fence, at three weeks. But then, my birds are easily replaced and of low individual value. and I don't watch them at all - other needs on my time.

 

[Sally PB]

I wanted to feed an All Flock for the protein content, but couldn't find one that was organic. I settled on Grower from Kalmbach. It is organic, and I can get it reliably from a small independent feed store that I like to give my business to. It is just shy of 75 cents/pound. I have egg shells and OS on the side, so this works for my whole flock.

 

[Brooks_]

I wanted to feed an All Flock for the protein content, but couldn't find one that was organic. I settled on Grower from Kalmbach. It is organic, and I can get it reliably from a small independent feed store that I like to give my business to. It is just shy of 75 cents/pound. I have egg shells and OS on the side, so this works for my whole flock.

Not a fan of that price point, but if it works for you...

 

[Sally PB]

Not a fan of that price point, but if it works for you

Yeah, it ain't cheap. Eventually I may rethink my choice, but for now, it's ok. TSC's Naturewise is a lot cheaper. In the winter, I may not want to drive out to the feed store and I'll just go to TSC on my way to the grocery store.

I still want to stay with 20% protein and organic feed. The name on the bag is much less important to me.