Layer feed or all flocks for non-mixed flock?

[Karlkurla Chooks]

Any Poultry Mix works well. My chooks forage in the garden as well.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

There are several layer feeds that are 18-20% protein, so all flock isn't necessarily more protein. I always had to give calcium even when feeding layer. I have fed scratch daily in limited amounts for 32 years & haven't had a problem. Do what works for you! YMMV

Which layer feeds have 18-20% protein? I would like to look into it, thank you!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Which layer feeds have 18-20% protein? I would like to look into it, thank you! View attachment 4164726

Here’s one:

https://www.chewy.com/kalmbach-feeds-all-natural-20-protein/dp/226628

 

[RoyalChick]

Here’s one:

https://www.chewy.com/kalmbach-feeds-all-natural-20-protein/dp/226628

I feed that and they still like to eat egg shells and oyster shell.
I like the feed a lot. I use Chewy and always order cat food at the same time in order to get free shipping.
It is often extremely fresh which makes me happy, and the one time it wasn’t Chewy sent a new bag no questions asked!

 

[Debbie292d]

We just have silkies who can suffer from vitamin deficiencies easier than most other breeds and for a few years now have fed them this:
https://www.chewy.com/kalmbach-feeds-all-natural-20-protein/dp/244680 They do great on it. I do supplement with 1/4 dose of the Rooster Booster Granules mixed in, just to be sure they get enough of everything.

It's an all-flock. We feed it to our baby chicks, all adults, and it's complete for ducks too.

We have a dish of oyster shell for the hens. We got that in cute little buckets from Chewy too.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I feed that and they still like to eat egg shells and oyster shell.
I like the feed a lot. I use Chewy and always order cat food at the same time in order to get free shipping.
It is often extremely fresh which makes me happy, and the one time it wasn’t Chewy sent a new bag no questions asked!

Do you feel that it helps during molt? We haven’t experienced true molting yet, just the last adolescent molt or whatever it’s called around 9-10 weeks or so. Annual molts seem awful!

 

[RoyalChick]

Do you feel that it helps during molt? We haven’t experienced true molting yet, just the last adolescent molt or whatever it’s called around 9-10 weeks or so. Annual molts seem awful!

I don’t really know.
I just feel that 16% protein is a minimum for laying birds. Acceptable to operations trying to maximize egg production and minimize cost, but not ideal for the health of the hen. So I want higher protein.
In the winter when they stop laying I often switch to Flock Maker (that is Kalmbach’s ‘all flock’ brand without the added calcium and with 20% protein) and then come Spring I start the Full Plume Feathering feed which is also 20% protein but does have calcium for layers.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I don’t really know.
I just feel that 16% protein is a minimum for laying birds. Acceptable to operations trying to maximize egg production and minimize cost, but not ideal for the health of the hen. So I want higher protein.
In the winter when they stop laying I often switch to Flock Maker (that is Kalmbach’s ‘all flock’ brand without the added calcium and with 20% protein) and then come Spring I start the Full Plume Feathering feed which is also 20% protein but does have calcium for layers.

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[Airyaman]

I think I'm lucky in that I have a fairly local supplier of what appears to be very good feed from Tucker Milling in AL. I started out with Alabama Co-op feeds because of ease of acquisition and the price being right, but after looking at the ingredients, I felt that their feed was geared more towards big farm production birds and not the backyard flock enthusiast.

When I first found out about Tucker Milling I was going to try a bag of their starter feed but the store did not have any unmedicated feed, but did have the non-GMO variety. A little more expensive, but ever since opening the first bag I have not swapped over to the cheaper version. I mean the stuff even smells delicious to me. My cats try to eat it if they get near it and my dog certainly tries to get hold of it.

At $15/50 lbs its a steal imo.

Looking ahead, they have several different layer feeds, from 16% protein to up to 22% (have not priced that yet)!

https://tuckermilling.com/flock/