FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

I have no idea... is that bad? I buy a soy-free organic blend for my layers, give scratch very very sparingly (like to get them to run into the coop in a pinch) & then I'm giving Dumor chick grower to my pre-teens & teenagers. It seems to be working... I add a raw egg (so wrong) & a splash of juice, milk, plain yogurt or water to Murray, my scissor beaker's special food. I fed her with a syringe several times a day. I think I've lost my mind.

In other news..... THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!

 

[crossgirl]

Purina flock raiser. I'll be buying more this week so I guess I'll notice the price change then.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I get the cheapest brand I can find, Country Acres, which is somehow connected with Purina, but not their top brand. It gives me good results and isn't as expensive as the Layena or the Start & Grow. I give my layers the pellets, not the crumbles. I also give layer feed to the young cockerels I'm growing up for the table, starting at about 9 weeks. I figure they won't be around long enough for the extra calcium to give them problems, and it's cheaper than the chick starter. Both types of feed recently went up about a dollar a bag.

Why do some folks give Flock Raiser to their adult birds? I know folks that look at the pictures of the ducks, geese, & chickens on the bag and think that it's a suitable feed for all those species. But it's really a feed for them as juveniles, once they're adults I think you should give them all the layer feed. Is there really a benefit to giving adult birds flock raiser?

 

[crossgirl]

Quote:
In my case, my flock is very young, I only have three that are laying. I put eggshell out for them and everyone gets kitten chow once a week for extra protein just in case they're not getting enough in the field. Once the other six are all laying I'll switch to the Layena or the equivalent in another brand and the rooster(s) will just have to deal with it.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:
In my case, my flock is very young, I only have three that are laying. I put eggshell out for them and everyone gets kitten chow once a week for extra protein just in case they're not getting enough in the field. Once the other six are all laying I'll switch to the Layena or the equivalent in another brand and the rooster(s) will just have to deal with it.

That's where I am too.. My oldest chickens are only 22 weeks but I have some that are around 9 weeks. It's just easier for me at this time to give them the flock raiser until the younger ones get bigger.

 

[NicoleRM]

I mix my own to avoid soy, but I have definitely noticed the prices creeping up on the ingredients I use! I've made a few changes and managed to keep it under $20 per 50 lbs at 16%.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
Certainly that makes sense, I would do the same if I had the same situation. But why Flock Raiser instead of chick starter?

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:
Certainly that makes sense, I would do the same if I had the same situation. But why Flock Raiser instead of chick starter?

Hmm.... This particular one that I have says Chick Starter/Grower. I got this one because it isn't medicated. I didn't want my layers eating the medicated feed and all the of the Chick Starter's they had were medicated. Plus I think they have a higher protein content.. I'm not too positive about the feeding stuff etc and rely on you guys a lot

I've only had chickens since March. LOL

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:
Hey.. what do you mix?

 

[NicoleRM]

Quote:
Hey.. what do you mix?

The big recipe is:

50 lbs corn
50 lbs oats
40 lbs alfalfa pellets (Standlee Brand)
35 lbs wild bird seed (the white bag generic stuff at TSC)
25 lbs whole flax seed
20 lbs BOSS
15 lbs cat food (9 Lives Plus Care)

I mix in in a small quantity every other day with a scoop I marked the weights on. I was using a better quality cat food before, but the price was 2.5x the 9 Lives for almost the same protein. That was the hardest part really - finding a soy free cat food with a good protein content to add the animal protein I wanted. I get everything but the flax at TSC so it's fairly convenient too.