Hens snarfing down flock raiser.

[damselfish]

So, we have a few keets this summer, and I have Purina flock raiser out for them, free choice. Our hens and adult guineas are absolutely stuffing themselves on it too.

Our birds free range and always have layer pellets (Purina also) & oyster shell available as well.

I've been using the layer pellets to decrease waste, but they dump quite a few of those out into the coop bedding. Considering how little flock raiser is left at the end of the day after they all turn the baby feeder upside down and eat every piece, I'm starting to wonder whether I'd be better off feeding flock raiser full-time.

Anybody else experienced this?

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Mine like the chick food better, too. So long as you make oyster shell available for them, I wouldn't worry too much about it. The extra protein won't hurt them.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I feed Flock Raiser - no Layer feed - and also offer oyster shell free choice in a bowl in the coop, one in the pen and one in "my" yard. None of my birds - geese, ducks or chickens - will touch the layer feed now.

You can get Flock Raiser in pellet form - your feed supplier might not carry it, mine does not, but they will order it for me - cuts down on waste.

 

[damselfish]

Thanks Horsefeathers, I had no idea it even came in pellet form. I will check with my feed store.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

just called mine and they don't order it in pellet form...bummer....but thanks for letting me know it came in pellet form Horse Feathers.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
why do you always put oysters shells on the side of the flock raiser....some ppl. do and some don't.

 

[damselfish]

Flock raiser wouldn' t have the optimum amount of calcium in it for laying hens...too much calcium is bad for very young birds, they can't process it for some reason. So if you feed "baby" food to the older birds, you're supposed to have a separate source of calcium for them. Or so I have learned, here on BYC!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Also if you offer it on the side and not mixed in or processed in - those hens who need more will be able to consume what they need when they need or crave it.


Extra calcium is not good for the roos either.


But all of my birds will eat a little oyster shell, from chicks to roos although no one consumes as much as a laying hen ever, so some is needed by all the flock - just not the amount forced on them when it is processed in the feed.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I feed Flock Raiser to everything on the place that is at least eight weeks old. Laying hens get oyster shell on the side.

I've used Flock Raiser and Layena side by side, and one at a time and my birds seem to simply prefer the FR to the Layena. I don't know why they don't find the layer ration as palatable but they don't.

 

[halo]

I was feeding Flockraiser to everything until I found a local mill where I got feed much cheaper. They sure loved it.