U_Stormcrow
Crossing the Road
Yes, oyster shell in a seperate dish, and you can do much worse than Purina's Flock Raiser. As off the shelf, middle price feeds go, its rather good nutrition.Thank you for that analysis! So considering the info you provided and comparing that then to the Purina Flock Raiser, it looks like the Flock Raiser is still going to be better then those other 2 options. Cal Ranch only carries the crumble version. The pellet version at Tractor Supply is $27.99!!
For laying hens, however, I assume I should supplement calcium -- would having a separate container of oyster shell take care of that?
We have hard, dry, desert dirt - no pastures. I was considering growing fodder but thought I'd wait a bit and first get used to the routine of caring for the hens w/out overwhelming myself. The fodder would have to be grown outdoors (perhaps on porch) and we are coming into our summer -- temps already over 100F -- so not ideal for growing fodder.
I prefer crumble, but if you are having problems with waste, pour on the cold water and mix together into a thin oatmeal-like consistency, then wait a few minutes for the crumble to absorb the water. Your birds will think its a treat, clumping together because its wet will reduce spills (and help them find it when they do), while the cool water helps with heat management. Its why I started adding 64 degree well water to my bird's feed when heat hits the 90s...
Good luck on that fodder. I'm blessed with a very forgiving climate, and the soils are (slowly, oh so slowly) improving. The extension office says I should spread lime - almost a half ton per acre - to start fixing my soil.