My Mysteries and Hopefully Better Pics

[ChickenChick46]

No.

The only extra thing they need at laying age is extra calcium. A separate dish of oyster shell can take care of that.

Switching to all flock will not cause trouble, but it is not necessary either. So it's up to what is convenient for you.


As a general thing, if it says it is a "complete" feed for any kind of chicken, check the levels of calcium and protein, and that will tell you if it is an acceptable substitute.

Calcium typically runs around 1% in feeds for chicks and roosters, with layer feeds being up over 3%.

20% protein is a good amount, down to about 18% is probably not a concern. High protein is not really a thing to worry about. Feeds up to at least 30% seem to be safe. Protein is usually one of the most expensive ingredients, so there is not much research on what protein level is too high, but it's definitely higher than that.

Feeds labeled for turkeys or ducks & geese are usually fine too, again subject to checking the calcium and protein levels.

This is all very helpful, thank you. We've got a Tractor Supply and a Rural King both within about 20 minutes. But we've also considered ordering from Chewy to lump our dog, cat, and chicken food purchases all together to avoid driving all over town. Now I'll know what to look for.