How much grower should I buy?

[brewernd]

I know there is no easy answer here, but I have 26 baby chicks on the way, and I am off to the feed store to get them food for the first six months or so. This may seem odd, but I live in a remote part of alaska and I cant just drive to the store. So, that being said, does anyone have any advice on how much starter feed and then grower feed I should pick up? I am kinda figureing 100 lbs of starter should get me through 6-8 weeks, but I am sort of at a loss as to how much they might go through of the grower to get em up to the layer feed. I guess I should mention these are all going to be laying hens.

Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

200 pounds. If you can keep it dry, out of harm's way and so forth, you'll easily go through that much, and in fact, much more than that on their way to adult life.
Trying to buy it all seems unnecessary, as freshness counts for something. But I'd sure get 200, but they'll actually go through almost 300+ before laying.
No sense making a bunch of expensive trips, which just adds to the cost.

 

[brewernd]

no doubt. if you think they will go through more than 200 lbs, then how much more? I can get a lot, and I keep it in my house, so it stays warm and dry. close enough is good enough, if I get too much, I can just mix it with the layer pellets till its gone, and if I get too little, I can just start mixing in layer pellets early, just hoping for a rough idea. Im taking a big truck to town, so I want to bring it back as loaded as possible.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, if you are game, just get all 300 pounds. Not a problem. It would never actually be "wrong" for them to eat it, even after point of lay. It is just that at point of lay, folks buy layer mash for the convenience. Layer feed is nothing more than regular feed with the higher calcium carbonate already ground and added. You can accomplish the same thing by feeding them shells on the side, when that time comes. No biggie.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Don't rush the layer feed.

They simply do not need added calcium until the eggs are being found in the nests. Also, I find mixing a pellet into a mash or crumble type feed causes them to use that age old chicken instinct of picking and choosing. They pick. They flick. They toss, to see what really down at the bottom of the feed trough. Goofiness!!!

 

[Chris09]

You want starter for the first 8 weeks or so then you can switch to a grower.

Chris

 

[brewernd]

cool, thanks much for the info. really appreciate it. ill grab 300 lbs, and hope that is more than enough. in fact, its kind of around where I figured, but its hard to say. I have had chickens before, but never raised chicks.

 

[HEChicken]

Honestly, 300 doesn't sound like enough to me for that many birds. When I had 10 hens I was going through about 50lb a month and mine can free-range a bigger part of the year than yours will be able to in Alaska. So figure with 26, around 125-150lb per month. If you have enough starter to last them the first 2 months, and you want 6 months worth of food, that is 4 months, at 150lb/mo, or 600lb.

 

[brewernd]

ok, that sounds good. thanks!