First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[mamatink7]

Crumbles are just pellets that have been...well...crumbled. They'll adjust to eating the bigger pieces and their bodies won't know the difference.

Either Nutrena or Purina make a decent product. If you're providing oyster shell (or egg shell or calcitic limestone bits) in a separate container for your pullets to snack on as needed, the calcium content of the feed is less important as they will supplement themselves as needed. It's more important to keep an eye on the milling date as you purchase the bag of feed...make sure you feed it out within a few weeks of that or nutrition starts to drop.

Thank You. Do I need to put oyster or egg shell in separate tin if the layer feed already has it in there? Both those brands have it already. I know I want to get the Omega 3 layer. Didn't think about the milling date, but yeah that's real important. Perhaps I'll just get one bag at a time then. It's hard to guess how much feed they'll actually eat since it's so hot and they are outside too.

 

[mamatink7]

I would have to agree with the above advice. Do not mix your calcium supplement like oyster shells with the food. Use a container on the side. I found the small around 1/2 gal size gravity feeders hung up of the ground by around 6" to work great for use with oyster shell. I have one for grit as well. It keeps them from scratching it out and wasting it.

I live in very high heat 100+ most of the summer so I've been feeding mine grower (I use scratch and peck feeds) still. It's 16 or 17% protein and they have been doing great. It take so much energy to keep up with the heat here I didn't want to drop their protein until the temps start to drop. Pretty positive the only dif between layer and grower is 1. Calcium and 2. Protein. Layer has 4% and 15% respectively and grower 1% and 17% typically. So if you do the calcium on the side protein is what really matters. I got my first egg and the shell is nice and firm even without the layer feed.

thank you much!! Didn't think about it being so hot to give higher protein. They're used to grit being separate so shouldn't be hard to separate shells. Why do they put oyster shell in the feed if we have to put it separately? Ugh I also have 1 roo so he really doesn't need the shell added to feed-right? I spoke with purina 4wks ago and they said to keep him on same feed...

 

[AmandaMBG]

I doubt it's oyster shell they put in the feed but a powder calcium of some sort. Probably digests at the same rate as the food whereas the oyster shell will take a bit longer to break down. And basically because some chickens might need a bit more than 4% calcium. Probably depends on how well the individual bird processes the calcium and also how many eggs it is making a week. For example a 1/ day layer is going to need more than a 4/week layer. And it would be almost impossible to keep the rooster on seperate feed. I wouldn't worry too much about that. I doubt the exta calcium will hurt him. What isn't needed will prob just come out the other end. If you want the increased calcium of the layer you can always feed that and add in more protein with treats like mealworms.

thank you much!! Didn't think about it being so hot to give higher protein. They're used to grit being separate so shouldn't be hard to separate shells. Why do they put oyster shell in the feed if we have to put it separately? Ugh I also have 1 roo so he really doesn't need the shell added to feed-right? I spoke with purina 4wks ago and they said to keep him on same feed...

 

[AmandaMBG]

From my experience these past months the amounts vary by feed. There is a general guideline I think it's somewhere around 1/4 lb per bird a day (I would check that because I can't remember exactly). I started from there and adjusted based on how much they ate in a day. For fermented mash I fed about a half of a 2quart feed scooper, for non fermented crumble I fed about twice that and for the scratch and peck(and because they are older) they go through just about 2 quarts a day. That's with 11 standard pullets, 2 massive roosters, 4 ducks, and two bantams.

Thank You. Do I need to put oyster or egg shell in separate tin if the layer feed already has it in there? Both those brands have it already. I know I want to get the Omega 3 layer. Didn't think about the milling date, but yeah that's real important. Perhaps I'll just get one bag at a time then. It's hard to guess how much feed they'll actually eat since it's so hot and they are outside too.

 

[Jensownzoo]

I think Amanda already answered, but yes provide the supplemental calcium container regardless. Different absorption rates, output, etc. all come into play in an individual bird's calcium metabolism so it's best to play it safe and let them have the opportunity to self-regulate.

As an additional point of data, I feed 2 gallons of fermented feed (made from about 2 quarts of dry) to 20 laying pullets, 3 roos, and 5 guineas. They all get time to free range daily and get occasional treats of fresh fruits/veg and farmed mealies. Currently on Nutrena Layer feed with crushed eggshells fed back to them.

 

[mamatink7]

WAHOOOOO first egg today!! Golden comet and laid IN the nesting box. Got to be 97 today in the coop.
WHAT A SURPRISE!!! 1 day before 18 wks I'll upload pics and share tomorrow.

 

[KiminPA]

Congrats on the first egg mamatink!

I have a question for you more experienced chicken mamas.....
My girls range from 14-16 weeks. I have two that have combs that turned red so we put their nesting box in the coop.... Well it happened to be right where they were all sleeping at night, so now half of them are sleeping on top and half are sleeping in front of it on the floor

None of them are sleeping on the roost. They can all get up there bc they hang out there during the day and there's plenty of poop on the poop board, just not sleeping up there. Should I go in at night and move them up there? Or let them go a little longer?

Thanks!

 

[mamatink7]

Congrats on the first egg mamatink!

I have a question for you more experienced chicken mamas.....
My girls range from 14-16 weeks. I have two that have combs that turned red so we put their nesting box in the coop.... Well it happened to be right where they were all sleeping at night, so now half of them are sleeping on top and half are sleeping in front of it on the floor

None of them are sleeping on the roost. They can all get up there bc they hang out there during the day and there's plenty of poop on the poop board, just not sleeping up there. Should I go in at night and move them up there? Or let them go a little longer?

Thanks!

thank you!! Imo, never move them. They are comfy in that place. They'll readjust when the time comes.

 

[KiminPA]

thank you!! Imo, never move them. They are comfy in that place. They'll readjust when the time comes.

Ok thank you I went in and tried to put a couple up the other night and 12 vs 1 is not ideal haha so I gave up after the 2nd one flew back to the ground

 

[mamatink7]

Ok thank you I went in and tried to put a couple up the other night and 12 vs 1 is not ideal haha so I gave up after the 2nd one flew back to the ground

haha!! I check on them 1 million times a day I swear. They keep sleeping all huddled in one corner or another, I thought they slept on the perches as well.