Help! What do I feed my mixed flock??!

[Michelle14]

So I have recently integrated my 12-13 week old pullets and one cockerel to my existing 6 2 year old laying hens. I’ve gotten mixed feedback on what to feed them. I’ve been using kalambach henhouse reserve for my hens and the chickhouse reserve for my chicks/pullets. I’ve seen that the layers feed is too much calcium for the pullets and cockerel to have. So I have been recommended to try a Gamefowl feed with 18-20% protein with oyster shells on the side as an option. Any recommendations for what you guys feed?! Thanks. Ps first picture is the Kalambach feed and the second is what I was looking into.

 

[Altairsky]

What you are planning to do sounds perfect to me, I have nothing else to add.

 

[FrostRanger]

The gamefowl feed with oyster shell on the side is fine, you can also feed everyone chick starter or all flock as long as they have crushed oyster shell on the side, whatever is your preference

 

[Yardmom]

Kalmbach makes an all flock feed. They call it Flock Maker. It comes in crumbles or pellets. 20%protein. I have not checked into the game bird food you mentioned (game food normally has an even higher protein %)
The crumbles are great for feeding chicks and birds of all ages. Add a calcium source on the side when birds are laying.

 

[C Siena]

We began using TSC layer pellets from the start, as that is what our neighbor used for years. We are currently using it but also have non medicated chick starter. OS and ES on the side. So far all continue to do well. Age range 4 months to 26 months.

 

[texsuze]

Ditto the all flock feed crumbles (i.e. Purina FlockRaiser) along with supplemental free-choice calcium (I use crushed oyster shells and well-dried, crushed eggshells in the same dish).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

All-flock crumbles works best for us. We have 19 two-week old chicks and 19 (I think) adult hens of varying ages, and a rooster. Of the adult hens only 6 to 10 are currently laying and I don't know which ones! So definitely no layer feed here. And of course OS and grit always available. (Two grades of grit, chick and adult).

 

[Debbie292d]

Kalmbach makes an all flock feed. They call it Flock Maker. It comes in crumbles or pellets. 20%protein. I have not checked into the game bird food you mentioned (game food normally has an even higher protein %)
The crumbles are great for feeding chicks and birds of all ages. Add a calcium source on the side when birds are laying.

This is what we've been using for our silkies, babies all the way to adults. When we acquired two ducks, I was tickled to read the bag and find out it was complete for ducks too.

We have a separate dish for oyster shell for the hens as this is lower calcium and higher protein, thus good for everyone but the hens need more calcium than it provides.

 

[Folly's place]

Here we feed Purina Flock Raiser, as it's usually fresh where we shop, by the mill date on each bag. Kalmbach, at a different store, is kept in a run-in shed there, out in the weather, and we won't buy it (buggy and old!).
Also it's difficult to get every bird to eat a complete balanced ration feeding whole seeds, we do prefer a crumble, with the oyster shell on the side.
What's best will depend on what's available fresh where you shop. And with a mixed age flock, layer feed isn't best.
Mary