Feed my chickens incorrectly since 6 weeks old.

[chookmumma99]

I need your help!
Since my Brahma were 6 weeks oldish - they’re now 16 weeks old - I have been feeding them a layer mash thinking it was best for them due to the protein? I read somewhere. Anyway, they seem to have aged in the face, however are still quite small. And it’s not all, just 4 of them. The other 2 have grown a lot.
My question is, is there anything I can do to rebalance them? Seems to have affected their growth. Anything you can think of to undo my mistake?
Thank you for all and any help!

 

[rosemarythyme]

What are you currently feeding them? You can up the protein, but they've already done a lot of their growing, so they're likely to end up a bit smaller than they should.

 

[nuthatched]

What's the protein on the mash?
Non laying birds generally shouldn't eat layer ration long term do to its high level of calcium and low protein.
Get them on a grower, starter, chick, meatbird, all flock etc feed from here on if you can but I can't tell you if it will remedy anything

 

[chookmumma99]

What are you currently feeding them? You can up the protein, but they've already done a lot of their growing, so they're likely to end up a bit smaller than they should.

Thanks for your reply! They're currently between Jenco 18% Fine Layer Mash and Barrastoc Top Layer - I only chose them for the protein and the fact that they’re finer than a lot of layer mashes. Do you think I should put them on pullet grower until they lay, or just keep as I am?

 

[chookmumma99]

What's the protein on the mash?
Non laying birds generally shouldn't eat layer ration long term do to its high level of calcium and low protein.
Get them on a grower, starter, chick, meatbird, all flock etc feed from here on if you can but I can't tell you if it will remedy anything

Thanks for your reply!
They’re between 16.5% and 18%. Which would you recommend going? grower or meat bird? Local stocks grower, but i can source meat bird if it’s better.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for your reply! They're currently between Jenco 18% Fine Layer Mash and Barrastoc Top Layer - I only chose them for the protein and the fact that they’re finer than a lot of layer mashes. Do you think I should put them on pullet grower until they lay, or just keep as I am?

Brahmas are slower to mature so at 16 weeks they're not going to be close to laying yet, so yes I would swap them to a grower or all flock feed of 18-20% protein until laying commences. I don't know if Brahmas have a higher or lower protein requirement than other breeds, but that number should work for most maturing chickens.

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for your reply!
They’re between 16.5% and 18%. Which would you recommend going? grower or meat bird? Local stocks grower, but i can source meat bird if it’s better.

Whatever you can find that is between 18-20% protein.

 

[Mamagirl3]

Thanks for your reply!
They’re between 16.5% and 18%. Which would you recommend going? grower or meat bird? Local stocks grower, but i can source meat bird if it’s better.

The easiest is to use an all flock feed. It is enough protein for growers. It works for birth to old age. We add a crushed oyster shell in the pen. The hens will eat it as they need. The young ones ignore it and the roosters ignore it because they do not need it.. we use the purina all flock because we do not have much choice at our tractor supply. The hens will take their chix to eat when it is time. All ages can eat it. 20% protein. Our hens are nice size and lay very nice eggs.
And.. lay better than what other people say. One coop and pen has 12 hens and 1 roo. Spring and summer there are 10 or 11 eggs daily.. and occasionally 12! Hahaha in winter with less hours of

daylight and much colder they will drop off to 8 daily and when running zero and below down to 6.
Our other coop is 7 hens and 1 roo. These are the youngest just started laying in aug. Still get 5+ daily even in cold. Only dropped to 4 when zero a week and below at night. We have suddenly had a week of 60s above average for us.. but it sure picked up their laying.. never less than 5. I share this to say all flock is what we use and all are healthy nice size birds. In addition they are let out at least 3 days a week and sometimes more. The grasses and bugs are a HUGE benefit! The yolks of their eggs are very dark yellow to almost orange. That is what being able to free range benefits the eggs. Oh. We have lt brahmas and black jersey giants. The brahma roo we raised from 2 days and was from a grower. He is 2 years next month. Weighs 16 lbs and 18 in tall .
Black jersey rooster is 1 yr old and weighs 15 lbs and 23 in tall. We have been told he will conti ue to grow and fill out for another 6 mos. He is already a big boy! So gentle and docile. These are dual use. Eggs and meat. When all the brooders chix were born this past spring we raised them up to killing size and kept the best of how many we could keep and the rest are in the freezer. Good luck with your feed.