feed

[junkman56]

I have question, I'm not sure what I should feed my chickens. I currently have 7 laying hens right now, they get blue seal layer feed, I am having 7 chicks shipped to me tomorrow 4/9, the new chicks consist of 6 pullets and 1 rooster, which will give me a total of 13 hens and 1 rooster I understand that I cannot give the rooster laying feed. so my question is, should I continue feeding the hens layer feed? and give the chicks starter feed? then when I plan on moving them all in the same coop, switch over to all flock feed? or switch over now to all flock feed?
I do have oyster shells free choice already

Confused and not sure
Jack

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

I use Purina Flock Raiser for all my birds from day 1 through life.

You actually CAN feed a rooster layer... it just isn't ideal. And *could* (does NOT mean will) cause kidney issues in the long term. But it is most likely in birds that are predisposed to it genetically and also fed a large amount of treats. There are a few fear mongers on here that make it seem like your birds will die if you feed layer. Plenty of people have rooster that live a very long time even though they eat layer. It isn't my personal choice... but I don't believe in fear mongering.

You can either use starter or flock raiser for you chicks, finish up your layer feed and start your switch with the next bag for your current layers, if that seems convenient for you. Unmedicated starter or flock raiser will be fine for them and might even see an increase in health and overall appearance from the increased protein since feathers are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids. In addition... higher protein has been shown to give better hatch results, which to me says more nutrition in the eggs my family is eating, verses those who feed 16% protein layer.

Yes the terms become confusing... all flock, flock raiser, starter, grower, layer... I like chicks to have at least 20% protein. I know some all flock has only 18%. And anything beyond 22% is not really needed. If organic is important to you that will impact the choices you have.

So to wrap it up since I seem all over the place... I would go with a Flock Raiser for the chicks and work on the switch for the end of your bag of layer feed for your current hens. And use flock raiser for everyone with the OS you said you already have available for the layers. Your OS usage will increase once they are switched over completely, but that's OK. Nutritionally and financially it all evens out. Even though the higher protein feeds often cost a bit more, the OS is usually much cheaper than feed. Your little's might sample the OS but they won't over indulge. My flock is usually integrated by 6 weeks old.

Hope your new arrivals are loud and hungry!

Shipping is hard, I would be sure to have some poultry nutri drench in the water and I add homemade electrolytes. I prefer that over the save-a-chick packets. And I also crush the feed crumbles a little extra the first week. But ANY supplement should be helpful.

 

[Spartan22]

I have question, I'm not sure what I should feed my chickens. I currently have 7 laying hens right now, they get blue seal layer feed, I am having 7 chicks shipped to me tomorrow 4/9, the new chicks consist of 6 pullets and 1 rooster, which will give me a total of 13 hens and 1 rooster I understand that I cannot give the rooster laying feed. so my question is, should I continue feeding the hens layer feed? and give the chicks starter feed? then when I plan on moving them all in the same coop, switch over to all flock feed? or switch over now to all flock feed?
I do have oyster shells free choice already

Confused and not sure
Jack

Keep your layers In laying feeds, and give the chicks the feeds that will help them develop properly (starter feeds) when you integrate the two groups, which I assumed you will wait until their almost the same size unless you have a big set up that you can place a screen barrier now and have them co exist but not touch each other. You can switch to flock raiser so they can all eat the same and provide the layers the calcium they needed on a separate dish.

What I’d been doing (I introduce new chicks every spring) is separate my coop into two, and remove the barriers when they are 16-18 wks old when the new batch are ready to lay eggs. And give them all same kind of feeds, but in your case you have a rooster you’ll probably have to all give them flock raiser feed for the sake of the rooster’s health.

Here’s one of my set up on integrating

 

[junkman56]

I plan on putting the new chicks in the coop at around 4 or 5 weeks old, with a barrier between the older hens and the chicks, ( see but no touch) after a few weeks of that I plan on removing the barrier at night and put the chicks on the roost with the big girls. I will install a fence down the length of the run and separate them out there. my run is
56' long x 25' wide

here are a couple pics of my setup

the coop is 12' wide x 5' deep, this pic shows the barrier, behind the right of the barrier is the chicks side which is 4'wide x 5' deep
the pic does not show the ramp for the chicks to get to the roost

this pic shows the older hens side

​

 

[lazy gardener]

@junkman56 , check out @azygous article about panic room for integration of chicks. Many of us have found that early integration makes the process go much smoother.

When I start chicks, I put the entire flock on unmedicated starter, and keep them on that until the littles loose their peep and get their cluck. Any time after that, I start them on layer. Of course, the layers always have OS available at that time. I do not worry about my roo eating layer.

 

[azygous]

I love your setup - so pristine and poop-free!

You might discover your young chicks are more savvy about the pecking order than you think, and require less time to learn about the individual temperaments of the adult chickens. I've found they learn pretty much everything they need to know about which chickens pose a threat to them and which ones they can feel safe around in about a week.

Take a look at the photos in this article https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/ You may get some useful ideas on how to convert the chick enclosure to a panic room, increasing safety a hundred-fold.

One of the concerns when integrating chicks is protecting them when they eat so they aren't driven from their food, sometimes resulting in weight loss because they don't eat enough. Keeping food inside the panic room will create a safe eating station to prevent this. I recommend a panic room in your run, also.

 

[junkman56]

I love your setup - so pristine and poop-free!

You might discover your young chicks are more savvy about the pecking order than you think, and require less time to learn about the individual temperaments of the adult chickens. I've found they learn pretty much everything they need to know about which chickens pose a threat to them and which ones they can feel safe around in about a week.

Take a look at the photos in this article https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/ You may get some useful ideas on how to convert the chick enclosure to a panic room, increasing safety a hundred-fold.

One of the concerns when integrating chicks is protecting them when they eat so they aren't driven from their food, sometimes resulting in weight loss because they don't eat enough. Keeping food inside the panic room will create a safe eating station to prevent this. I recommend a panic room in your run, also.

I don't have a doorway in the coop between the chick side and older hen side yet, but I do plan on installing one. as for out in the run, I plan on installing a fence from the coop out to the end of the run on the chick side of the coop, for a see but no touch. which will be about 4 ft. wide and the length of the run 56 ft. I hope to have them together at around 8 weeks of age.

 

[lazy gardener]

Perfect.

 

[junkman56]

Hi.

I use Purina Flock Raiser for all my birds from day 1 through life.

You actually CAN feed a rooster layer... it just isn't ideal. And *could* (does NOT mean will) cause kidney issues in the long term. But it is most likely in birds that are predisposed to it genetically and also fed a large amount of treats. There are a few fear mongers on here that make it seem like your birds will die if you feed layer. Plenty of people have rooster that live a very long time even though they eat layer. It isn't my personal choice... but I don't believe in fear mongering.

You can either use starter or flock raiser for you chicks, finish up your layer feed and start your switch with the next bag for your current layers, if that seems convenient for you. Unmedicated starter or flock raiser will be fine for them and might even see an increase in health and overall appearance from the increased protein since feathers are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids. In addition... higher protein has been shown to give better hatch results, which to me says more nutrition in the eggs my family is eating, verses those who feed 16% protein layer.

Yes the terms become confusing... all flock, flock raiser, starter, grower, layer... I like chicks to have at least 20% protein. I know some all flock has only 18%. And anything beyond 22% is not really needed. If organic is important to you that will impact the choices you have.

So to wrap it up since I seem all over the place... I would go with a Flock Raiser for the chicks and work on the switch for the end of your bag of layer feed for your current hens. And use flock raiser for everyone with the OS you said you already have available for the layers. Your OS usage will increase once they are switched over completely, but that's OK. Nutritionally and financially it all evens out. Even though the higher protein feeds often cost a bit more, the OS is usually much cheaper than feed. Your little's might sample the OS but they won't over indulge. My flock is usually integrated by 6 weeks old.

Hope your new arrivals are loud and hungry!

Shipping is hard, I would be sure to have some poultry nutri drench in the water and I add homemade electrolytes. I prefer that over the save-a-chick packets. And I also crush the feed crumbles a little extra the first week. But ANY supplement should be helpful.

my chicks arrived today, all 7 made it through the shipping. they are chirping, drinking, and eating, I hope that's a good sign that they will all adjust ok.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

my chicks arrived today, all 7 made it through the shipping. they are chirping, drinking, and eating, I hope that's a good sign that they will all adjust ok.

View attachment 1333366

View attachment 1333367

That's a very good sign!