Mixing Layer Crumbles with All Flock - Would it Hurt My Boys?

[seminolewind]

You can safely feed the rooster anything for layer hens or all flock. It's okay. Higher protein like All Flock is okay too. But Layer feed is fine and safe.

 

[seminolewind]

If the shells are paper thin, they are calcium deficient and it will only worsen over time. Calcium is a very important nutrient and does much more than provide for egg shells. It also is a key mineral to keep their hearts beating correctly. Just like humans, if your electrolytes are off, you can die of heart disrhythmia. If you simply add a handful of oyster shell into their feed every day they will take what they need and the boys will leave it alone.

This all I know. Yes hens do need their calcium. My chickens free range on grass so I do have to consider the protein and calcium they need to make up that free range does not give them. So I am all for flock raiser or any higher protein food and oyster shell. But I thought the OP's question was about roosters so that's what I replied to.

 

[chfriedmam]

You can safely feed the rooster anything for layer hens or all flock. It's okay. Higher protein like All Flock is okay too. But Layer feed is fine and safe.

I'm shocked -relieved, relieved-shocked!
Seminole wind, U_stormcrow, if at any given time I'm likely to have chicks 6wks and up and a rooster or 2 that i might keep to age 2 years max living in the flock, I could mix a fair amount of layer feed with grower feed (i think the #s I saw were ~2.5% Ca+ and 20% protein) and everyone would likely be fine?

I would LOVE that! I don't know why, I just feel better having the calcium in the feed rather than separate. Even if I still set oyster shell out, I'd feel better having it in the crumble.

It also makes such sense.

 

[AGeese]

I was thinking about this the other day since I have a gander, 2 geese, and 6 hens and waiting on the dice roll of hatching eggs to get at least one rooster. So thanks for asking.

Was giving them layer, but for the moment free choice. I got a large bag of oyster shell for little feeders and when it looks like they've taken what they want from those I toss the rest of it out where they range.

 

[BDutch]

I'm shocked -relieved, relieved-shocked!
Seminole wind, U_stormcrow, if at any given time I'm likely to have chicks 6wks and up and a rooster or 2 that i might keep to age 2 years max living in the flock, I could mix a fair amount of layer feed with grower feed (i think the #s I saw were ~2.5% Ca+ and 20% protein) and everyone would likely be fine?

I would LOVE that! I don't know why, I just feel better having the calcium in the feed rather than separate. Even if I still set oyster shell out, I'd feel better having it in the crumble.

It also makes such sense.

You shouldn’t feed layer to chicks. It has proven that it’s bad for their health (kidneys). Don’t even let them have access to layer.

Wait with layer with chicks until they get to point of lay. Which is 16 -18 weeks for commercial laying hybrids. And 20 - 24 weeks for most heritage breeds/barnyard mixes.

If you have roosters you want to keep for many years you shouldn’t give much layer pellets or crumble to you’re chickens. Main problem with layer is the high amount of calcium.

The same calcium problem has layer feed for a flock with heritage breeds that don’t lay much eggs, and mixed flocks with old hens that lay little or stopped laying.
All flock feed with oyster/egg shells apart is the best you can give to mixed flocks.
By mixing layer feed with grower you get something that comes near to the ingredients of all flock. Imo this is okay too. I have to do that, because they don’t sell all flock in the Netherlands.
Besides they free range in the garden and I give the chickens some scratch too.

 

[chfriedmam]

You shouldn’t feed layer to chicks. It has proven that it’s bad for their health (kidneys). Don’t even let them have access to layer.

Wait with layer with chicks until they get to point of lay. Which is 16 -18 weeks for commercial laying hybrids. And 20 - 24 weeks for most heritage breeds/barnyard mixes.

If you have roosters you want to keep for many years you shouldn’t give much layer pellets or crumble to you’re chickens. Main problem with layer is the high amount of calcium.

The same calcium problem has layer feed for a flock with heritage breeds that don’t lay much eggs, and mixed flocks with old hens that lay little or stopped laying.
All flock feed with oyster/egg shells apart is the best you can give to mixed flocks.
By mixing layer feed with grower you get something that comes near to the ingredients of all flock. Imo this is okay too. I have to do that, because they don’t sell all flock in the Netherlands.
Besides they free range in the garden and I give the chickens some scratch too.

Yes I'm aware, ty. I'm exploring alternatives to the party line here-but perhaps U r right. But I'm thinking more along the lines of what stormcrow was saying, if i understand correctly:. The supposed damage to a rooster from excess calcium over the course of 24 mos would not amount to much, at which point they would likely be replaced in my flock. And again, true chicks were not mentioned, but 6wkers almost ready to go on grower feed anyway.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes I'm aware, ty. I'm exploring alternatives to the party line here-but perhaps U r right. But I'm thinking more along the lines of what stormcrow was saying, if i understand correctly:. The supposed damage to a rooster from excess calcium over the course of 24 mos would not amount to much, at which point they would likely be replaced in my flock. And again, true chicks were not mentioned, but 6wkers almost ready to go on grower feed anyway.

Speaking from experience - IF you avoid layer for your hatchlings, and IF you mix layer and something else to get your feed into the 2.8% calcium range +/-, there is very little internal evidence of calcium build up when you take a roo at 12, 15, 18 months.

It remains something I don't recommend, but speaking purely as a matter of comparative risk, it can be done. The young er the bird when the excess calcium begins, the more severely it tends to be affected (and of course, the longer the time window in which damage can accumulate).

 

[chfriedmam]

Speaking from experience - IF you avoid layer for your hatchlings, and IF you mix layer and something else to get your feed into the 2.8% calcium range +/-, there is very little internal evidence of calcium build up when you take a roo at 12, 15, 18 months.

It remains something I don't recommend, but speaking purely as a matter of comparative risk, it can be done. The young er the bird when the excess calcium begins, the more severely it tends to be affected (and of course, the longer the time window in which damage can accumulate).

Ok, I hear you. I'm not really having issues with eggshells, and right now I feed a grower feed to all chickens and set out oyster shell flakes. I do like to hand feed sometimes, so maybe I will feed layer feed when I do that or throw layer feed down in more controlled situations. And obviously if I have hens housed separately for any reason. ty

 

[Shadrach]

It's incredibly simple. If it says it's layer feed then it's for layers.
Roosters don't lay eggs.
Chicks and pullets up to POL don't lay eggs.
Senior hens may not lay eggs either.

There are reasons why hens and roosters handle calcium differently to do with their biology.
There is also the reason that so commonly gets overlooked and that is roosters feed differently from hens.

Layers feed; it does what it says on the packet.

 

[seminolewind]

I'm shocked -relieved, relieved-shocked!
Seminole wind, U_stormcrow, if at any given time I'm likely to have chicks 6wks and up and a rooster or 2 that i might keep to age 2 years max living in the flock, I could mix a fair amount of layer feed with grower feed (i think the #s I saw were ~2.5% Ca+ and 20% protein) and everyone would likely be fine?

I would LOVE that! I don't know why, I just feel better having the calcium in the feed rather than separate. Even if I still set oyster shell out, I'd feel better having it in the crumble.

It also makes such sense.

Hi. Chicks get chick feed, all of them. When getting adult food I would just give them All Layer. You can mix oyster shell into it. I don't think the roos will eat it. All Flock is okay for everyone. I have never used Grower so I don't have any info on that. If you need protein, freeze dried meal worms (?) is up to 50% protein.