Recommend grower feed

[Sherri1990]

I would Like to keep my 22 week old hens on grower feed and offer oyster shell on the side. I bought them a really great feed that is seeds and dried bugs... and they will only eat the seeds! I have dried pellet shaped bugs all over my yard! Can any one recommend a good feed that is not all soy and filler... with no dried bugs...?

 

[NatJ]

a good feed that is not all soy and filler

I'm not sure what you mean by "filler," but a lot of chicken foods are based on corn and soy, with other things added until it's right nutritionally. The corn is not "filler," because it is providing calories, part of the protein, and certain vitamins & minerals.

Any feed described as "pelleted" or "crumbles" should have the ingredients ground up and mixed together, then shaped into whatever form. Because everything is ground & mixed together, the chickens cannot pick through and eat some parts while skipping others.

I would try whatever is in your local feed store, and see how it works, before searching for things that might be more expensive or difficult to get. The important thing is whether your chickens eat it willingly and do well on it.

 

[NatJ]

Ok! Now... I only have 3 hens laying.. they just started this week so should they all have grower or layer?

I leave out the dumor grower crumble for them and oyster shell but they are only picking at the feed.

Just use the grower and oyster shell you have, and buy another bag of the same stuff when it runs out.

 

[Kiki]

That’s exactly what they are doing! It’s to much money for them to waste half of the food. I leave out the dumor grower crumble for them and oyster shell but they are only picking at the feed.

This picking and choosing of seeds = not a balanced complete diet.
Get rid of that feed and ONLY offer the crumble.
They will eat it. Give them time.

 

[black_cat]

My avian vet said that the calcium can be to high and it’s better to let them regulate it themselves.

I don't think that the calcium is too high in layer, but to each their own. Maybe look at chewy.com to order, and then look up the feed online (e.g. look up 'dumor grower feed') and see what comes up in images?

 

[black_cat]

Do you use a layer feed? If so what brand?

Gaaaaaah-I'm bad at remembering the brand!
I believe it is Nutrena country feed layer pellets. I also give them oyster shell on the side for if they need an extra boost of calcium.

 

[black_cat]

Ok! Now... I only have 3 hens laying.. they just started this week so should they all have grower or layer?

They can all be on grower or all flock, as long as you offer OS on the side. The ones that need it will take the OS, the ones that don't won't.

 

[black_cat]

This picking and choosing of seeds = not a balanced complete diet.
Get rid of that feed and ONLY offer the crumble.
They will eat it. Give them time.

Agreed!

 

[Sherri1990]

Just use the grower and oyster shell you have, and buy another bag of the same stuff when it runs out.

Thank you!

 

[Aapomp831]

Why would you not put them in layer feed?