HensInTheForest
Songster
Hi there!!
I have read what many here do for feed and protein percentages and when.
85 year old farmers are in my family from NW Iowa. They have their ways and old time sense. They heard I am starting my first flock and keep calling me, wonderful men in their 80s who love farming and everything livestock. Cant get them off the phone. Very knowledgeable in so many areas of horses, sheep, hog, and chicken No how.
Many here love Flock Raiser all the way thru. I get it. Others say go local and get the local feed. Sounds good too given I want to stock up on 9 months advance food here And have very good local farm stores and supplies there.
Others I have seen online have had success feeding 24% chick starter first 8 weeks, reducing to 22% til egg laying time. Strategy there is the chickens and eggs are larger. Is that safe to do? Is there risk? So we raise larger chickens and they can produce larger eggs. Sounds like a win.
BUT.
My family farmers say to reduce the feed to 18 -20 % in week 18 and 19 to prep them, slim them down just abit before laying starts so they don’t get egg bound, or worse have the eggs explode in them.
WOAH. So that’s a thing.
Ok, I am a city girl who has jumped in with both feet here. First Flock at 50 my older sisters can’t believe I am washing chickie feet, checking butts, and that I have kept these 11 alive for 2 weeks without VET HELP
They keep calling asking how many have died today ha ha ha . Let alone believe I am getting 10 more on Friday. My chicken Math for first flock is 23!!!! They can’t kill their own spiders! Now I pick those up with bare hands and release them on the decks Watch them scurry away. Sends them running and screaming. I am tough but not sure I can butcher anything I have raised. Still soft I guess. But that would be hard for me TBH.
I have 5 very wooded pine and oak acres outside the city and love my little homestead. I can’t wait to see my run built off the back of the pole barn in 3 to 4 weeks.
I want my chickens to produce well but dont want them dead because of egg explosions.
I would love larger 69 to 72 gram eggs like a blogger has shown. I will have 2 or 3 of each- EE, PBB, MMM, BO, LO, Light Brahma, Faverolles, SGE, white Leghorn.
Can we push the envelope abit on protein for them during development and still be safe for the hens???
What do you think?
Thanks for your advice in advance.
I have read what many here do for feed and protein percentages and when.
85 year old farmers are in my family from NW Iowa. They have their ways and old time sense. They heard I am starting my first flock and keep calling me, wonderful men in their 80s who love farming and everything livestock. Cant get them off the phone. Very knowledgeable in so many areas of horses, sheep, hog, and chicken No how.
Many here love Flock Raiser all the way thru. I get it. Others say go local and get the local feed. Sounds good too given I want to stock up on 9 months advance food here And have very good local farm stores and supplies there.
Others I have seen online have had success feeding 24% chick starter first 8 weeks, reducing to 22% til egg laying time. Strategy there is the chickens and eggs are larger. Is that safe to do? Is there risk? So we raise larger chickens and they can produce larger eggs. Sounds like a win.
BUT.
My family farmers say to reduce the feed to 18 -20 % in week 18 and 19 to prep them, slim them down just abit before laying starts so they don’t get egg bound, or worse have the eggs explode in them.
WOAH. So that’s a thing.Ok, I am a city girl who has jumped in with both feet here. First Flock at 50 my older sisters can’t believe I am washing chickie feet, checking butts, and that I have kept these 11 alive for 2 weeks without VET HELP
They keep calling asking how many have died today ha ha ha . Let alone believe I am getting 10 more on Friday. My chicken Math for first flock is 23!!!! They can’t kill their own spiders! Now I pick those up with bare hands and release them on the decks Watch them scurry away. Sends them running and screaming. I am tough but not sure I can butcher anything I have raised. Still soft I guess. But that would be hard for me TBH.I have 5 very wooded pine and oak acres outside the city and love my little homestead. I can’t wait to see my run built off the back of the pole barn in 3 to 4 weeks.
I want my chickens to produce well but dont want them dead because of egg explosions.
I would love larger 69 to 72 gram eggs like a blogger has shown. I will have 2 or 3 of each- EE, PBB, MMM, BO, LO, Light Brahma, Faverolles, SGE, white Leghorn.
Can we push the envelope abit on protein for them during development and still be safe for the hens???
What do you think?
Thanks for your advice in advance.
Last edited:
