RIR feeding questions

[TenTanToes]

Hello all, thanks for such a wonderful forum! My family is raising 6 wonderful Rhode Island Reds who are now about 3 months old. They are very happy outside in their new house. My question about feeding is how long should I be giving them medicated starter crumbles? When should I switch to some kind of regular food? What about scratch, are they too young for that? Thanks for your time!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Lots of helpful people here on BYC. I keep my birds on medicated chick starter for at least 8 weeks. I do throw some scratch in there after a few weeks but only a little bit. It is only a treat.
Then I switch to flock raiser 20% by Purina. It is a bit more money but it has more protein in it. I also use the layer pellets and crumbles 16% it won't hurt them but it is the minimum amount of protein they are supposed to have.
I will add different amounts and mix it all together depending on season, egg production and molt.
Have fun with your RIR's. I have 3 that just hatched out overnight and 1 that is pipped from "TatersChickens" they are so pretty. Their color is a rich russet red.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

You can switch them over to starter/grower now if you like, or unmedicated chick starter (if you can find it) or keep them on what they are now. There's room for several ways of going here.

Along about week nineteen or twenty or whenever you find the first egg switch them over to layer feed.

.....Alan.

 

[Bedste]

I love BYC because you get to gleen from everyones advice and experiences and do what you want.

I have 32 chickens of variouse ages. I am by no means an expert. I start mine on medicated start and grow at hatch and keep them on it for the first 8 weeks. I make sure that they have med start and grow for at least 2 weeks after being exposed to ground. That is where they first come in contact with some of the diseases. After that, they are on GROW.... just a grow..... then when they get 18 weeks I put them on laying pellets. They always resist the pellets and push them around and refuse the eat for a day and act like little babies.... but it is worth it. With laying pellets there is a lot less waste and the chickens can easier find them when they drop them. It just takes them a little while to realize that even though they look different they are good.

Hen Scratch is like candy. They love it. I give them scratch about once a week but hardly at all if I am able to free range. they do not NEED it but it is fun for them. They scratch around all the time and find stuff regardless.... scratch is just a special treat. Not nutritional enough to be the onlly source of food at all. Some say scratch raises hens body temp so it should be eliminated if you are in a heat wave or in Texas in August.... and such..

You will be fine.... I give mine table scrapes ...... spaghetti is their favorite and watermelon.... they do not eat the rinds...

Never give your gilrs raw eggs or shells.... this encourages them to eat eggs in the future. I scramble a few in Microwave and feed to my little ones at least once a week. Lots of protein.

 

[Judy]

Aaahhh... there's that myth about corn and body heat again. This thread has some great info on the subject:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=74876

 

[Chris09]

TenTanToes:
Hello and welcome.
I been keeping my Rhode Islands on a medicated starter for 8 to 10 week then they go to a non medicated 22% protein Starter/Grower until I start to get eggs then they get put on a good Layer or a Layer/Breeder feed.
I don't start scratch or treats till they are on a Starter/Grower feed.

Now in the spring I will be feeding all my Rhode Islands (chicks, growers, layers and breeders)
the 22% protein Starter/Grower. ( http://www.kalmbachfeeds.com/1044.html )
Chicks will get meds. in there water for coccidiosis.
The layers and the breeders will get a vitamin and a calcium supplement on there feed.

Chris

 

[wildorchid053]

we fed ours medicated till it was gone and they were near laying age then switched over to layer mix

 

[chickenfarmer5382]

I've never heard anything about corn raising there temp I live in south Georgia and it gets very hot and humid here in the summer and I have never had a problem with it

I have between 40 and 50 chicken that love eating scratch and a laying mash mix that I make

 

[Cindy in PA]

So called "scratch" can bee nutritious, it depends on what you feed. I feed mine what I call scratch, but could really be a formulated whole grain feed. I feed it daily to cut down on the soy content when I feed layer instead of gamebird feed.