Feeding my flock suggestions?

[draggar]

Out in our patio we have 2 bantam chickens (show chickens), one bantam "mix" (found by our vet so we took her in), and 4 quail (all in separate areas). We have them for egg laying purposes.

Our feed consists of: 25% layena, 25% starter, 25% scratch and 25% cracked corn for the chickens (thinking of eliminating either the scratch or the starter - not sure which one yet).

For the quail we have flock raiser.

My question is - how much should I be feeding them?

Normally I give each of them a cup of their respective food a day (one cup for the two bantams, one cup for the mixed since she's bigger). Once or twice a week the chickens will each get a can of cat food (9 lives shredded turkey flavor seems to be their favorite). Is this too much food? Not enough? I'm thinking one or two of the quail seem a bit skinny (could be because of their "pecking order") so I was thinking of adding a second bowl for them. All the food is usually gone the next day but it is hard to tell what was eaten and what was spilled out. they'll also get some table scraps and I've been thinking of getting a lettuce kit for one of my Aerogardens for the chickens.

I also make sure their water is fresh and clean every day (we have dispensers).

My concern is that we don't get many eggs - one of our bantams is old (4-5 years?) and the other is a few years younger. The quail we got back in December so I think they might start laying in the next month or so and we don't know how old the mix is, but she looks mature (hard to tell with a bantam / regular mix).

Luckily, the south Florida summer is starting up so we'll have more and more sun over the next 6-9 months.

 

[easttxchick]

This is my opinion and some will disagree with me on this-if your birds are of laying age, what they need to eat on a daily basis are layer pellets or crumbles(not including treats). I give scratch and corn sparingly because they do not supply the nutrients the birds need.
Also, my birds always have food, grit and oyster shell available.
I believe with chickens, egg production slows a bit after 2 years a day.
As far as quail go, I really can't help you with that because I have never raised any.
Good luck with your birds!

 

[easttxchick]

Sorry-double post!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If it were me I'd feed Flock Raiser to everything and offer free choice oyster shell on the side. You could still throw out a little bit of scratch every day since the complete ration has enough protein to offset the grain. If they're not free ranging offer them some green feed regularly.

.....Alan.

 

[draggar]

Thank you for the responses.

They're not free ranging (we're n a rather urban area) but in hutches.

So then the next time I buy food I should get maybe 1-2 bags of flock raiser (I think that's higher protein than starter and layena?) and 1 bag of scratch on the side? (I usually get 50 pound bags at our local feed store).

Maybe I'll look for some feeders that can hang on the side for the oyster?

Can I get the "layer pellets" at a regualr feed store (the closest Tractor Supply is over an hour and a half away in Okeechobee but we do have a feed store in Davie, FL).

Another question on the qial (if someone does check here who knows about them): What age would be considered "adult"? Will they benefit from crushed coral?

Everything needs to be in bowls because the bottom is wire (too small for their feet to go though but smal enough for food to go though), I do keep their hay (T&A) clean and filled.

 

[HEChicken]

I would eliminate the scratch. It is like candy for chickens. It doesn't provide much in nutrition but they love it so if it is there they will eat it before they'll eat the food that DOES contain the nutrition they need. It takes a lot of nutrients to create an egg a day so if they don't get enough, they won't lay many eggs.

If all of your chickens are of laying age, I'd just feed the Layena with oyster shell free choice. If you have a range of ages, feed Flock Raiser with free choice Oyster Shell. You can give them kitchen scraps for treats (mine love apple and pear cores, broccoli, greens of any kind etc. I also scramble any cracked eggs and they go ape over that. Meat scraps that aren't too fatty, pasta - really anything you have leftover that is mostly fat-free, low on dairy (they can't digest dairy very well), offer it to them and that is all the treats they need. I bought a bag of scratch last October. Whenever I think about it (once every week or two), I give them ONE handful, between the 6 of them. This way it is truly a treat - not part of their regular diet. I get an egg a day from each of them.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Lordy...25% scratch is WAY too much. Imagine if your child was eating 25% candy bars daily???? Take the suggestions offered and stick with the nutritious stuff...

 

[draggar]

I can't take out the scratch - it's all mixed together but next time I buy food I won't buy any scratch. Maybe I'll get an extra bag of layena and put that in a bim and do a 50/50 mix of the two when I make the bin I get thier daily food from (then it'll be 62.5% layena, 12.5% starter, 12.5% cracked corn, 12.5% scratch).

Is it OK to give the mix (layena, scratch, starter, cracked corn) to parrots etc..? I think some of my neighbors have some - I could cut down the amount of the mix I have (so it doens't go to waste / sit around too long)?

Edit: Just read teach1rus' post - so then 2/3 layena and maybe 1/3 the mix?

Edit #2 - is it OK to give the chickens basil (stems and leaves)? The Aerogarden I am going to use for the lettuce is on its last legs for basil (and some other herbs - parsley but we can give that to the dogs) and I have a *ton* of it plus a smaller AG with basil in it so I really don't need it.