Have I finally found good feed??

[U_Stormcrow]

UPDATE: I decided to go with the Scratch & Peck organic layer pellets for now. Any thoughts on that feed?

Its popular, it works, and its not obviously deficient - it "hits the numbers". If its also fresh and at a price you are willing to pay, its good (but not superior) feed.

https://www.scratchandpeck.com/product/organic-layer-crumbles/

Guaranteed Analysis​

Crude Protein MIN|16.0%
Calcium MAX|4.9%
Lysine MIN|0.7%
Phosphorus MIN|0.5%
Methionine MIN|0.3%
Salt MIN|0.2%
Crude Fat MIN|2.5%
Salt MAX|0.7%
Crude Fiber MAX|6.0%
Sodium MAX|0.2%
Calcium MIN|3.9%
Ash MAX|15.5%

 

[FrostRanger]

The guy I talked to at the feed store the other day told me this Kalmbach stuff was the best feed and if I made my own feed I couldn’t make it better than this brand. I asked him why and he said “because it has vitamins.” It looks pretty but I have no idea if it is nutritionally superior to, say, Purina.

I have used kalmbach's flock maker pellets for the last year with good results. I am very happy with the feed and so are my girls. Everyone lays well and has beautiful feathers (although Ginkgo and Lavender are currently missing their beards for some reason. No idea why it's just them and nobody is missing feathers elsewhere. I think at this point it's just overzealous grooming)

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Its popular, it works, and its not obviously deficient - it "hits the numbers". If its also fresh and at a price you are willing to pay, its good (but not superior) feed.

https://www.scratchandpeck.com/product/organic-layer-crumbles/

Guaranteed Analysis​

Crude Protein MIN|16.0%
Calcium MAX|4.9%
Lysine MIN|0.7%
Phosphorus MIN|0.5%
Methionine MIN|0.3%
Salt MIN|0.2%
Crude Fat MIN|2.5%
Salt MAX|0.7%
Crude Fiber MAX|6.0%
Sodium MAX|0.2%
Calcium MIN|3.9%
Ash MAX|15.5%

Since I have pullets that I want to live with the flock before they start laying, should I get the all flock and provide calcium separately, and then switch to layer feed when they are all laying?
Also, my pullets are about 5 weeks old, how old do they need to be in order to live with the rest of the flock? They have been in a separate run right next to the big girls for 1-2 weeks now.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Since I have pullets that I want to live with the flock before they start laying, should I get the all flock and provide calcium separately, and then switch to layer feed when they are all laying?
Also, my pullets are about 5 weeks old, how old do they need to be in order to live with the rest of the flock? They have been in a separate run right next to the big girls for 1-2 weeks now.

You are going to get various answers to both those questions, the correct one is the one that works for you.

I, and many others here on BYC, follow the "All Flock All the Time" feed management method (with free choice oyster shell, fresh clean water, and grit [if required]). I almost always have hatchlings/adolescents about, plenty of Roos, and free range - so its the only practical feed management method for me.

If you have an all female flock of production hens, once they are laying, or they are all very near to laying, you can transition to a "Layer" type formulation to save costs. Some then go back to All Flock (or a specialized Layer, like Nutrena's "Feather Fixer") to up protein levels during molts and speed that process along. Most don't.
Again, not wrong, if those few $ savings matter to you and its convenient not to have a separate calcium source.

When to integrate will get a LOT of opinions. Many will have successfully integrated already, often they use broodies for their hatching, and the chicks stay w/ broody mom as part of the flock from the start. I free range, I've had a lot of losses that way - primarily crush injuries from other animals, NOT predation (though some of that, too). I keep mine separate but visible, and on a different feed regimen until somewhere between 7 and 12 weeks (based mostly on when I have time to send birds to freezer camp) - that works for my unique management. Others keep them separate, and on separate feeds, until they are about to lay (14+ weeks, depending on breed averages) then integrate and feed transition at the same time.

Again, best answer is the one that works for you. No "one right way", plenty of wrong ones.

 

[Sic]

UPDATE: I decided to go with the Scratch & Peck organic layer pellets for now. Any thoughts on that feed?

IMO it is overpriced. The 16% crude protein version is not an adequate protein level for backyard chickens. Ideally you'd want to keep it above 17.5% crude protein with crude fat from 3-5% for typical backyard chicken with access to outdoor run, this has a hepatoprotective effect against fatty liver disease (FLHS) the number one cause of death in backyard chickens. Highly active free range chickens do much better with high quality crude protein from 20-30% and crude fat around 7-12%.

Because you have a mixed age flock, I again, recommend that you feed a starter/grower to all of them, oyster shells on the side or whatever your preferred calcium supplement is, your layers will modulate their intake as they need.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

IMO it is overpriced. The 16% crude protein version is not an adequate protein level for backyard chickens. Ideally you'd want to keep it above 17.5% crude protein with crude fat from 3-5% for typical backyard chicken with access to outdoor run, this has a hepatoprotective effect against fatty liver disease (FLHS) the number one cause of death in backyard chickens. Highly active free range chickens do much better with high quality crude protein from 20-30% and crude fat around 7-12%.

Because you have a mixed age flock, I again, recommend that you feed a starter/grower to all of them, oyster shells on the side or whatever your preferred calcium supplement is, your layers will modulate their intake as they need.

If I feed black soldier fly larva a couple times a week, will that boost the protein to a better number? I will look into the S&P Starter for all of them. My chicks eat Cluck and Co. Starter Crumbles right now.

 

[FrostRanger]

If I feed black soldier fly larva a couple times a week, will that boost the protein to a better number? I will look into the S&P Starter for all of them (it's what my chicks eat right now).

If you do that then they will get too much fat. It's better to buy a nutritionally sound feed to begin with than to supplement

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

If you do that then they will get too much fat. It's better to buy a nutritionally sound feed to begin with than to supplement

Good to know, how often can I give them grubs as a treat?

 

[FrostRanger]

Good to know, how often can I give them grubs as a treat?

General rule of thumb us you want to keep treats to less than 10% of their diet to avoid nutritional issues and obesity

 

[Sic]

If I feed black soldier fly larva a couple times a week, will that boost the protein to a better number? I will look into the S&P Starter for all of them (it's what my chicks eat right now).

Yes. I think the S&P starter is somewhere around 20% CP and is at the level of most good all flock formulas. At that level you don't need to increase protein, but can still offer good quality (animal) protein as a treat in moderation. That would be the best choice, honestly you don't need layer feed.