Mixed ages, what feed? And oyster shells VS egg shells

[EvansMeXo]

Hello! So my first question is about medicated chick feed VS chick grower. I was told at 6 weeks to switch my chicks to grower, however my oldest is now 10 weeks and my youngest is 2 weeks, I have half a bag of starter left. When I run out should I continue to give the starter?

Should I switch to grower so my older one is getting what she needs??

Maybe I should mix my starter and grower together so their both getting a bit of what they need??


My next question is oyster shells VS egg shells. So from what I was reading during my initial research says oyster shells, however lately I've been reading articles saying I can cook egg shells and crush them instead of the oyster shells... will this provide them with enough calcium? I would love to be able to save a bit
Of money if I don't have to buy oyster shells (who wouldn't lol) but if it's not enough I don't want to risk them lacking proper calcium


And a third question at 18? Weeks I'll switch to layers feed. Is my cockerel okay to be eating the same food as his ladies? Or am I going to have to figure out a way to get him his own special diet?

Thank you for the advice

 

[rjohns39]

Hello! So my first question is about medicated chick feed VS chick grower. I was told at 6 weeks to switch my chicks to grower, however my oldest is now 10 weeks and my youngest is 2 weeks, I have half a bag of starter left. When I run out should I continue to give the starter?

Should I switch to grower so my older one is getting what she needs??

Maybe I should mix my starter and grower together so their both getting a bit of what they need??


My next question is oyster shells VS egg shells. So from what I was reading during my initial research says oyster shells, however lately I've been reading articles saying I can cook egg shells and crush them instead of the oyster shells... will this provide them with enough calcium? I would love to be able to save a bit
Of money if I don't have to buy oyster shells (who wouldn't lol) but if it's not enough I don't want to risk them lacking proper calcium


And a third question at 18? Weeks I'll switch to layers feed. Is my cockerel okay to be eating the same food as his ladies? Or am I going to have to figure out a way to get him his own special diet?

Thank you for the advice

• I would keep them on starter until the youngest is six weeks. The only real difference between starter and grower, is the protein level is dialed back a bit.
• You're going to want to provide both Oyster shell and Grit. If there's a farmer's coop within driving distance you get a much better deal on 50 pound bags. I think I paid $6 for Oyster Shell and $14 for granite.
• Your Roo doesn't need the extra calcium, but it won't hurt him, especially if he has access to fresh grass.

 

[EvansMeXo]

• I would keep them on starter until the youngest is six weeks. The only real difference between starter and grower, is the protein level is dialed back a bit.
• You're going to want to provide both Oyster shell and Grit. If there's a farmer's coop within driving distance you get a much better deal on 50 pound bags. I think I paid $6 for Oyster Shell and $14 for granite.
• Your Roo doesn't need the extra calcium, but it won't hurt him, especially if he has access to fresh grass.

Thank you so much for your reply! They will have 3 acres their allowed to free range on their currently in coop lockdown while they adjust but in 1.5 weeks they'll start being let out so he'll have plenty of grass to eat

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I agree with above, except, make sure your not providing that extra calcium until your chickens are laying. Giving young birds too much calcium can be very damaging for their young bodies.

 

[EvansMeXo]

I agree with above, except, make sure your not providing that extra calcium until your chickens are laying. Giving young birds too much calcium can be very damaging for their young bodies.

So I switch to layers feed at 18 weeks right? But I don't actually give the oyster shells until laying?

 

[hannahsflock]

What has worked for me is feeding grower mash from day old to when they lay their first eggs. I sometimes mix in some rolled oats and mixed fowl grain/seeds too.

I've always used oyster shells on the side of my layer's feed, for added calcium.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I'll defer to an expert here, but I'm not planning to switch to layers until my youngest are laying. Until that time, I'm going to either provide growers, with oyster shell on the side, or 'All Flock' with oyster shell on the side. The shell on the side once I see my first egg.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hello! So my first question is about medicated chick feed VS chick grower. I was told at 6 weeks to switch my chicks to grower, however my oldest is now 10 weeks and my youngest is 2 weeks, I have half a bag of starter left. When I run out should I continue to give the starter?

Should I switch to grower so my older one is getting what she needs??

Maybe I should mix my starter and grower together so their both getting a bit of what they need??


My next question is oyster shells VS egg shells. So from what I was reading during my initial research says oyster shells, however lately I've been reading articles saying I can cook egg shells and crush them instead of the oyster shells... will this provide them with enough calcium? I would love to be able to save a bit
Of money if I don't have to buy oyster shells (who wouldn't lol) but if it's not enough I don't want to risk them lacking proper calcium


And a third question at 18? Weeks I'll switch to layers feed. Is my cockerel okay to be eating the same food as his ladies? Or am I going to have to figure out a way to get him his own special diet?

Thank you for the advice

You are going to run into a lot of different opinions, so I'll give you MY different opinion!

I do not like grower. It is only 15% protein, which is 25% less protein than the amount of protein supplied by starter. I have yet to hear any one give me an acceptable (to me) answer why it is sensible to cut protein by 25% for a young animal who is actively growing. So, I keep them on starter, or when they are a bit older, I put them on multi flock, which should be 18 - 22% protein, depending on the formulation you buy. (I like the 18%.) If they are free ranging, you can also cut the protein a bit by adding a bit of scratch if you've bought the higher protein feed.

As for buying layer feed, the absolutely ONLY reason I buy it EVER, at all... is because it is a bit easier on my wallet. And, I don't get worried about roos and pullets who are older than 12 weeks old eating it. My youngsters get it any time after they have exchanged their peep for a cluck. "They say" that the extra calcium in the layer will cause kidney issues in non laying birds. I say that the studies that support those claims were based on broilers, which are already prone to all kinds of systemic failures. And I say that any free range bird is already ingesting LOTS of calcium in the greens they eat. If excess calcium were a cause of renal failure in a back yard flock, those free range birds would be dropping dead all over the place. And plenty of roosters eat layer feed their entire adult lives. To my knowledge, they NEVER lay eggs, and always seem to be the healthiest bird in the flock, living to a ripe old age.

Egg shells vs. oyster shell: A recent study stated that calcium uptake was essentially equal when comparing the two sources. So, yeah, save your egg shells, and feed them to your flock. When using shells from my own flock, I simply toss them in a bowl, then when I have a bowl full, I take them out to the run, toss them on the ground, and stomp on them. If using shells from an other source, I'd be inclined to heat them first to kill any pathogens.

If you are not feeding layer, and the only extra calcium you do provide is from the egg shells from your own flock, there will be a diminishing return, and you will eventually run into a deficit. So, I'd recommend that you buy a bag of OS. It's cheap insurance.

 

[EvansMeXo]

Thank you for all your replies!

You are going to run into a lot of different opinions, so I'll give you MY different opinion!

I do not like grower. It is only 15% protein, which is 25% less protein than the amount of protein supplied by starter. I have yet to hear any one give me an acceptable (to me) answer why it is sensible to cut protein by 25% for a young animal who is actively growing. So, I keep them on starter, or when they are a bit older, I put them on multi flock, which should be 18 - 22% protein, depending on the formulation you buy. (I like the 18%.) If they are free ranging, you can also cut the protein a bit by adding a bit of scratch if you've bought the higher protein feed.

As for buying layer feed, the absolutely ONLY reason I buy it EVER, at all... is because it is a bit easier on my wallet. And, I don't get worried about roos and pullets who are older than 12 weeks old eating it. My youngsters get it any time after they have exchanged their peep for a cluck. "They say" that the extra calcium in the layer will cause kidney issues in non laying birds. I say that the studies that support those claims were based on broilers, which are already prone to all kinds of systemic failures. And I say that any free range bird is already ingesting LOTS of calcium in the greens they eat. If excess calcium were a cause of renal failure in a back yard flock, those free range birds would be dropping dead all over the place. And plenty of roosters eat layer feed their entire adult lives. To my knowledge, they NEVER lay eggs, and always seem to be the healthiest bird in the flock, living to a ripe old age.

Egg shells vs. oyster shell: A recent study stated that calcium uptake was essentially equal when comparing the two sources. So, yeah, save your egg shells, and feed them to your flock. When using shells from my own flock, I simply toss them in a bowl, then when I have a bowl full, I take them out to the run, toss them on the ground, and stomp on them. If using shells from an other source, I'd be inclined to heat them first to kill any pathogens.

If you are not feeding layer, and the only extra calcium you do provide is from the egg shells from your own flock, there will be a diminishing return, and you will eventually run into a deficit. So, I'd recommend that you buy a bag of OS. It's cheap insurance.

And thank you for all the Information! I've been wondering too about switching them to the grower, I didn't realize it had less protein in it! I assumed it had more! The labels on the stuff I buy from the feed store don't say what's in it it's just labeled as starter/grower/layer so I didn't realize the difference! I think I'm going to be bringing my chick grower back and swapping it for more starter

 

[lazy gardener]

Every bag of feed, (at least in the US) is required to have a nutritional analysis. It should be located on the tag stitched into the end of the bag. YOu also should be aware of mill dates, and as much as lies in your power, plan to use a bag of feed within 6 weeks of mill date. Older feed is loosing it's nutritional value and in process of going rancid. Mill date will either be written as a Month, date, year, or most likely written in Julian code, with a 7 either before or after the code to denote the year (2017)