She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[RubyNala97]

Good morning, I have started adding half flock raiser to the layer because I don't think the layer has enough protein, my pullets have their own coop and pen. I also add oyster shell and crushed egg shells. They get a couple of handfuls of meal worms in the evenings and a cup of scratch. They only hatched this year and I feel that they are too young to only have 16% protein. Egg production has improved with this regime. Every one else gets the 20% flock raiser.

This sounds very similar to what I do. Mine also get a cup of scratch and a cup of dried mealworms and I mash up hard boiled egg white with the shells. So maybe I will mix the two feeds. Since they are silkies, even though they are 16-20 weeks, it could be awhile before I actually get eggs.

We have some BCM eggs from ebay (i've just been referring to them as "marans mix" because you never really know... And some Mille Fleur D'Uccles.

Very cool. I love both of those! Can't wait to see chick pics!

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks for all the responses about the feed. I guess there is a couple different ways to do it. Anyone ever mix half layer with half flock raiser and offer oyster shell, or is that just over kill? Just curious.
Yay!! That's exciting. What breed?

You can do it that way, or do flock raiser with oyster shell on the side, or give them layer. Or you can do flock raiser, and cut the protein a bit with scratch. (continue the oyster shell)

 

[meganhundley]

I feed all the youngins Purina Start & Grow and the Nankins I feed Manna Pro Egg Maker crumbles. I'm thinking of adding oyster shells since I can get as many as I want free, I just haven't figured out how to crush them small enough to feed them yet. My question is will the Nankin roo's be ok with the Egg Maker crumbles or should I give them something else?

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I don't worry about what my roo eats. He eats layer if that's what the flock eats. He eats Multi-flock or starter if that's what they're currently getting. But, my chickens are more utilitarian. I plan to eat them when they are not producing. I will also be replacing my roo in a couple of years, b/c it'll be time to stir up the gene pool by then. The one thing I do is ferment my feed, what ever it is. My flock does great with fermented feed, and lay sooner and better than the flocks of my friends who do not ferment.

 

[meganhundley]

Personally, I don't worry about what my roo eats.  He eats layer if that's what the flock eats.  He eats Multi-flock or starter if that's what they're currently getting.  But, my chickens are more utilitarian.  I plan to eat them when they are not producing.  I will also be replacing my roo in a couple of years, b/c it'll be time to stir up the gene pool by then.  The one thing I do is ferment my feed, what ever it is.  My flock does great with fermented feed, and lay sooner and better than the flocks of my friends who do not ferment.

How do you do that?

 

[lazy gardener]

Put some feed in a bucket (no more than 1/2 full) Add enough water to make it the consistency of cooked oatmeal. Stir several times/day. Do not cover it. It will eventually start bubbling like yeast will when you're making bread. When it reaches this point, it's ready to feed. (usually 2 - 4 days). I keep 2 buckets going. Never completely empty a bucket, so there will be some culture to start the next batch. After the first ferment, the successive batches will be ready in about 24 hours. There are several fermented feed threads if you have further questions.

 

[chicapee]

Loretta Lynn laid 2 eggs yesterday. Has anyone else experienced this? She didn't lay the day before and she laid her largest one yet today at 61 grams.

 

[meganhundley]

Put some feed in a bucket (no more than 1/2 full)  Add enough water to make it the consistency of cooked oatmeal.  Stir several times/day.  Do not cover it.  It will eventually start bubbling like yeast will when you're making bread.  When it reaches this point, it's ready to feed.  (usually 2 - 4 days).  I keep 2 buckets going.  Never completely empty a bucket, so there will be some culture to start the next batch.  After the first ferment, the successive batches will be ready in about 24 hours.  There are several fermented feed threads if you have further questions.

K, I'll try that. Do the chickens like it better? What are the benefits? I'm assuming probiotics and stuff?
ETA: How long is it good? I mean like how long can you keep it before it has to be thrown out?

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep, they like it. I'd suggest that you hop onto one of the fermented feed threads and do some reading. It gives the chickens a healthy gut flora as well as making the nutrients in the feed more bio available. Kind of like comparing chicken feed to fermented feed is similar to comparing milk to yogurt. Other benefits include: there is NEVER any feed wasted. They eat less feed, (because they utilize the nutrients better) so a bag of feed goes a lot further.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yep, they like it. I'd suggest that you hop onto one of the fermented feed threads and do some reading. It gives the chickens a healthy gut flora as well as making the nutrients in the feed more bio available. Kind of like comparing chicken feed to fermented feed is similar to comparing milk to yogurt. Other benefits include: there is NEVER any feed wasted. They eat less feed, (because they utilize the nutrients better) so a bag of feed goes a lot further.

Those pros sound real good to me...lol Mine waste so much food!!!!