should i feed my chickens layer feed

[farmer12]

hi my chickens are 6months old i got them in march should i feed my chickens layer feed
thank you

 

[Marty1876]

Yes, it is time for layor crumble. Almost there, they should be laying now, or very soon!

 

[farmer12]

is there a difference between layer feed and layer crumbles

 

[Intetdreamer]

Most places offer 3 choices for layer feed: pellet, crumble, and mash. All are layer feed, what you get is determined by what your chickens like.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Most places offer 3 choices for layer feed: pellet, crumble, and mash. All are layer feed, what you get is determined by what your chickens like.

That.

But also what the keeper finds convenient for his/her style of feeding. All layer feed starts as ground feed. It is then made into a pellet, which adds a bit to the cost, or then the broken pellets are then sold as "crumbles" which also adds to the cost a bit. Buying the straight, ground feed is normally the cheapest. While the bag of "mash" or straight, ground feed may, at first glance, look "dusty" it is merely because the flour of grinding is coating everything. If you add a bit of moisture, a cup or two of water and stir in a feed bucket, the result is virtually identical to a crumble look.

With soaring feed costs, the mash is what I buy, to save money and I don't mind the extra step of labor. The hens really, really like the moistened feed. However, if I have to be gone for a day or two, mash doesn't work as well. I use pellets in circumstances such as that. Pellets are pretty easy to feed and there is very little waste. If a pellet gets knocked to the floor of the coop, they'll eat it, once they've emptied their feeder.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

You really do not need to start feeding layer feed until after they start laying. The main difference between layer and starter/grower feed is layer contain ground calcium where starter/grower does not. You may still feed starter/grower but offer calcium to your layer chickens. Most times only the ones who need extra calcium will eat it.

 

[farmer12]

ok thank you everyone i will try everything