Feed for Layer chickens

[TheGoldMAN]

Hi everybody.
I guess that my chickens would come out from the incubator within this week.
I wanted to know the first feed for layer chicken.
What should I feed them with, in the moment they come out, in the first week of growing, and after 'till maturation.
Thank you so much, and thanks for this platform.

 

[Aapomp831]

You can either feed them chick starter or… you can feed them All Flock and then offer oyster shell on the side when they reach 18 weeks of age.

 

[TheGoldMAN]

You can either feed them chick starter or… you can feed them All Flock and then offer oyster shell on the side when they reach 18 weeks of age.

Thanks. But what is starter specifically?

 

[Aapomp831]

Click this link and scroll down to the ingredients / analysis and get whatever looks similar. You’re just trying to avoid layer feed for now, which has too much calcium.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor-starter-20-poultry-feed-10-lb-10lb

 

[TheGoldMAN]

Click this link and scroll down to the ingredients / analysis and get whatever looks similar. You’re just trying to avoid layer feed for now, which has too much calcium.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor-starter-20-poultry-feed-10-lb-10lb

 

[TheGoldMAN]

The link doesn't work.

 

[Aapomp831]

Is this better?

 

[TheGoldMAN]

Is this better?

Thank you so much.
This shows your kindness.
Its okay.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thank you so much.
This shows your kindness.
Its okay.

you’re welcome

 

[U_Stormcrow]

"Starter", "Starter/Grower", "Flock Raiser", and "All Flock" are just marketing terms. We can make some broad and generalized statements about them, but there is considerable overlap and no clear definitions in terms of actual content and nutritional value.

Broadly, all of the above are likely between 18% and 20% prortein, here in the US, likely mad from some combination of corn, barley, oats, soy, possibly some seeds, plus trace additions. All of them are likely in the 1% +/- calcium range. Its why, during shortages (as happened last year), you will often see a recommend to substitute one for the other when the first choice is not available.

Still speaking broadly (because there is seemingly always an exception).

"Starter" is most likely to be available medicated (usually Amprolium here in the US) or not. Starter is never available as a pellet - crumble or crushed grains only so far as I'm aware.

"Starter/Grower" often tends towards the lower end of the protein range, favors non medicated formulations but can be found medicated (Amprolium, usually, again), and is sometimes found as a "mini pellet" but is usually crumble or crushed grains.

"Flock Raiser" and "All Flock" are competing terms, favored by competing manufacturers (Nutrena "All Flock", Purina "Flock Raiser" competing in the same retail "space", so we tend to use those terms interchangeably. Many of the premium brands tend to favor the "All Flock", "Flock Maker" and similar terms as well. I've never seen it medicated on a store shelf, though it is made, and its generally available as a crumble, whole grain + powder, or a pellet. If you compare the linked labels, you will see they are very close, near identical in nutritional analysis. In theory, All Flock should have extra Niacin for ducks and geese (who otherwise have "similar - with caveats" needs to chickens), but its a "check the label" thing.

You will also see other marketing terms, such as "Feather Fixer". Meaningless. Check the label for the guaranteed nutritional analysis. Nutrena FF is basically a higher protein (18%) version of Nutrena's Layer feed. "All Natural" doesn't mean what you think it does.

And soy is one of the few good vegetable sources for Lysine, an essential amino acid chickens can't produce on their own. Corn, typically the first ingredient in most poultry feeds is low in tryptophan (another amino acid they can't make on their own) and lysine. Oats are a great tryptophan source (as is barley, i.e. "spent brewer's grains"), but again, low in lysine. Wheat germ, too. You can really get into the weeds on this stuff if you want to (though most labels don't list a complete amino acid breakdown, and there's a lot of disagreement as to which breeds need how much). As a backyard owner, just concentrate on the protein, fat, calcium levels and you should be good - and don't reflexively avoid soy, its there for very good reason.

...and while you are reading labels, check the date! Doesn't matter what the label says if its been sitting around 6 months plus. Fresh is best.