Feeding my flock

[BCR 2023]

I have 15 chickens 1 rooster and 2 baby chicks that are 5 weeks old. If I'm not breeding my rooster can I just feed them all layer food? Or do I need to continue mixing with non medicated or flock raiser food?

 

[BDutch]

The chicks still need chick feed. Layer is only fine food for hens that are actually laying.

You can give chick feed to the whole flock if the chicks are with their mama and not separated. If you go from chick feed to layer you have to wait until the start to lay (opPOL). But because you have a rooster this is not a good option. I'm not sure at what age you can start to give all layer.

I never gave medicated food (not available / forbidden where I live).

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have 15 chickens 1 rooster and 2 baby chicks that are 5 weeks old. If I'm not breeding my rooster can I just feed them all layer food? Or do I need to continue mixing with non medicated or flock raiser food?

When pullets or hens are laying they need a fair amount of calcium for their eggshells. That's why Layer typically has about 4% calcium content. All other chickens: growing chicks, roosters, cockerels, molting hens, broody hens, and other not-currently-laying pullets and hens do not need that extra calcium. Over a period of time that excess calcium can harm them, causing problems with the kidneys and perhaps the liver. This does not mean that the extra calcium always caused harm, it doesn't always. But it can and the damage to internal organs is not often immediately visible.

Many of us prefer to feed a fairly low calcium feed (around 1% calcium) to the entire flock and offer a calcium supplement like oyster shell on the side. The ones that need the calcium for their eggshells seem to know it and eat enough oyster shell but the ones that don't need the extra calcium generally do not eat enough to harm themselves.

After your chicks have been exposed to the soil for over three weeks they should have developed an immunity to any Coccidiosis in your soil so they should not need any more medicated feed. it will not hurt to feed it (if the medicine is Amprolium) so you might want to finish that bag but you should not need to buy any more.