Favorite layer feeds

[U_Stormcrow]

I only have 5 ladies, so I sell the eggs I don't use and it more than enough pays for the ladies feed, snacks, meds, and anything they may need

Envious. I have 40? ladies (admittedly, half aren't laying yet) plus 8 duck hens, and even at half the cost, its a good month if I break even. Currently back up to about a dozen a day - last month was 4-6 each day, that dug deep into the entertainment budget... to say nothing of the upcoming costs to add more coop space. Likely going to extend on of the existing coops, do an open air section to control costs and take advantage of my climate.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Envious. I have 40? ladies (admittedly, half aren't laying yet) plus 8 duck hens, and even at half the cost, its a good month if I break even. Currently back up to about a dozen a day - last month was 4-6 each day, that dug deep into the entertainment budget... to say nothing of the upcoming costs to add more coop space. Likely going to extend on of the existing coops, do an open air section to control costs and take advantage of my climate.

I look forward to seeing your updates! The only thing that keeps my chicken-ing in check is my husband, he is the voice of reason Plus we are currently setting up our new home and property and it is not the time for new additions. Just curious, how much are you able to sell your eggs for in Florida?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I feed Nutrena Naturewise all flock pellets. My birds love it.

Recently they upgraded their feed, & it smells like spices, rather then sweet, & chocolatey like it did before. It now has Alfalfa, & a bunch more good stuff in it.

I offer oyster shells on the side.

 

[ILChickenTV]

I've used both, without issue. I don't feed either, now - my flock is far too large to make it cost effective.

What do you use now?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

What do you use now?

For the first 6-8 weeks of age, I use a "Game Bird Grower" from a local mill, by way of a local feed store. Its 24% protein, has very good amounts of Methionine and Lysine, and cost $14.15/50# yesterday when I bought a month worth of bags.

Above approx 7 weeks of age, I mix the above feed 1:1 with a Layer feed from the same mill. End result is a 20% protein feed, still decent Met and Lys levels, but its $12.10/50#, bringing my cost down to about $0.263/lb of feed for my adult flock. That blend does result in an average calcium level between 2.4 and 2.8%, approx, which is higher than I recommend for male birds - but as my male birds weren't exposed to it for the first 2 months (approx) of their life, the most critical period of their development, and will likely be culled for table between weeks 16 and 20, it poses almost no risk to their health or weight gain.

I do keep breeding roosters for about a year after they begin to do the deed, before replacing them with fresher genetics. At that point, I have observed (warning : SMALL SAMPLE SIZE - barely anecdotal) no external signs of calcium toxicity, but internal inspection during the butchering has consistently revealed evidence of increasing calcium accumulation in the condition of the liver and elsewhere.

If you check some of my other threads, you can compare the condition of a young bird on that feed regimen, to a much older bird on the same feed regimen (jump to around page 61 or so, there should be culling pictures of two young males just coming into maturity, and then the culling of "Pretty Boy" for comparison around page 72. "Big Barred" also, same general area in the thread - I have limited cell phone data right now and can't search for the exact post).

/edit and when I first started my project, about 16/18 months ago, my feed costs we something like $0.214/lb

/further edit my flock (updated counts) is in my sig below. I'm currently averaging 31 eggs each day, plus 5-7 duck eggs. Every 2nd or 3rd day I get a single egg with a thin shell, almost certainly from the same bird. I'll cull her as soon as I've identified her. Free choice oyster shell, of course, and they free range acres. I'm curently feeding 8-9# of the mix, daily, to the whole flock. Goats have their own feed, which the ducks get some of. The rabbit has its own feed as well.