Feeding my flock, confused and concerned.

[ChickensAreSweet]

There are a few ways to go about feeding chickens, to say the least. Here are some:

1. Layer feed = 16% protein
2. Flock Raiser type feeds, or non-medicated chick starter = 20% protein
3. A mix of Flock Raiser and scratch grains = (lowers the protein from 20% somewhat)
4. Grains and seeds homemade mix with any additives you wish- tends to be more expensive
5. Feed mill mix (THE cheapest way to go)

Offer oyster shell and grit on the side (if free ranging they can possibly find their own sharp grit depending on the soil).

So it sounds that if you wish to keep giving lots of grains on the side, you might consider buying one of the high protein feeds like Flock Raiser so that you will end up near 16% protein.

Alternatively, if you offer layer feed and keep treats/extra grains at near 10% of the feed, that will be also successful.

The layer feed does have too much calcium for roosters but a lot of folks (myself included) never consider the needs of the roosters separately. Flock raiser is optimal for roosters because you HAVE to give oyster shell on the side for the layers with a feed like that.

 

[1muttsfan]

You obviously want what is healthy for your birds, as well a more eggs. Feeding a good quality layer or whole flock feed is the best way to succeed at both. It is almost impossible for most people to feed random things such as whole grains and table scraps to get the best combination of protein, fats, and vitamins and minerals to support maximum egg laying and chicken health. High fat foods (such as nuts, seeds and corn) reduce overall food intake, and must be thoughtfully balanced with other nutrients. I agree with the above poster who recommended a balanced chicken feed with the addition of no more than 10 (to 15) % of calories in additional foods. The amount of calcium in layer feed should not hurt a fully grown rooster, but I would not feed it to a growing bird.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Holy KFC! If you've got this......"they have a 150 by 100 run"......then imho, that's pretty much like free-ranging!

 

[galanie]

Holy KFC!  If you've got this......"they have a 150 by 100 run"......then imho, that's pretty much like free-ranging!

Really, it depends on the size of the flock. A dozen or so will strip an area that big clean pretty quickly.

 

[Chris09]

Ok so, my flock consists of 12 hens and one year old rooster at the moment feeding them corn, bread, mixed grains ect. I want more eggs though they're all laying occasionally but i think it'd be good to start them on layer for a bit but i am concerned for my rooster because I dont wanna starve him of good protein so how do I go about doing this? Thanks in advance!

I see your in the Bahamas, what is the mix grain that your feeding, do you buy it at a feed mill or mix it yourself, do you know the protein amount, also do you know the breeds of the hens/rooster?












Chris

 

[Chris09]

My birds aren't really free ranged they have a 150 by 100 run built onto my coop

Do you use Metric or US/Imperial measurements in the Bahamas?

​

Chris

 

[IslandCrow]

Us system, As for breed we call em papu's or feather faces they got lil beards under their faces I purchased them from a bird collector home here in town but even he doesnt know the true breed name -_- Im gonna try to upload a picture of my big boy and see if anyone can help me out with that one. The mixes is store bought premixed from a lil local retailer since ive started this thread ive started em on the layer and lil treats of sunflower seeds they seem happier fed em couple eggs too but uh yeah the big run was almost clean of any sign of greenery within the first 2-3 weeks they tear up land better then pigs

 

[BoltonChicken]

Make sure that you de-worm them periodically, we use diatomaceous earth and put that in their food and that gets the job done, it is completely natural and safe.

Ah, don't want to get stuff started here but diatomaceous earth (DE) is NOT a wormer, and is 100% in-effective as such. DE is used by milling companies to keep down insects in milled feed. It is effective against some type of insects when it is dry. When it enters the body of any animal, the natural moisture inside the animal turns the substance into the effectiveness of sand. It should pass through the body without problem, but is very powder-like and can be inhaled easily by both human and animal. Inhalation could be dangerous. Don't believe all the hype published by the people that sell this stuff. It is a good drying agent, and as I said, will kill some type of insects when it is dry. It has no, I repeat, no effect internally on worms or anything else, in spite of some people who eat a tablespoon of this stuff a day. They could save themselves some money by eating a tablespoon of sand.
P.S. It will not kill weevils in chicken feed. I know: I tried.

 

[LovinChicknFarmn]

Definite on the left overs! They love that! We keep a designated chicken container in the fridge and put whatever we want to feed the chickens in there. But, keep in mind that with the winter season, your girls are going to slow down production unless you add an artificial light source. The less light in a day, the less eggs you get. They'll always be slow in the winter.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I missed the fact you were in the Bahamas, welcome to the Forum.
I've spent some time on Cat Island and Nassau.