The Most asked question! My turn

[Lemon-Drop]

I use Scratch and Peck Organic

 

[Brooks_]

has a Non GMO feed line

Not to derail, but I don't think that's possible anymore. Cross pollination. Sure all efforts are made, but really the only non-gmo crops left are the ones that have never been gmo'd.

 

[Folly's place]

'Best' is relative, and because there are feeds only available regionally, and small local mill products vary in quality, and because it also depends on what's fresh by mill date where you shop. And the size of your flock! Madly expensive shipping costs from the 'deliver at your door' companies aren't so good if you have more than a small handful of birds.
Whole grain diets can cause problems, if individuals pick out the yummy bits and leave the rest, unbalancing their diet, and the rest of the flock.
Here we feed Purina Flock Raiser, a nice diet that's good for young, old, males, females, laying eggs or not, with oyster shell in a separate dish. It's always fresh where we shop, so we can use it within two months of the mill date.
Your choices may be totally different, and that's fine.
Mary

 

[Chris2018]

Not to derail, but I don't think that's possible anymore. Cross pollination. Sure all efforts are made, but really the only non-gmo crops left are the ones that have never been gmo'd.

Just as possible as having a Organic line since all Organic Seeds/Grain/Feed are Non-GMO.

 

[Brooks_]

Just as possible as having a Organic line since all Organic Seeds/Grain/Feed are Non-GMO.

"Just as" as in "not really". I have gone down the organic/non-gmo rabbit hole. It is not pretty. It is better than nothing, but to my knowledge the "Non-GMO Project" doesn't actually test things, they just look at records. GMO is far too wide spread to really say anything is, in fact, 100% non-gmo.

 

[K0k0shka]

Relax, people. GMO is not poison and is not going to kill your chickens. Or the planet. On the contrary, it increases yield per area and actually saves wild habitat from being destroyed to plant more crops for people and their animals. It's a good thing.

 

[alwaystj9]

Relax, people. GMO is not poison and is not going to kill your chickens. Or the planet. On the contrary, it increases yield per area and actually saves wild habitat from being destroyed to plant more crops for people and their animals. It's a good thing.

oooh, you gonna get fussed at!

 

[K0k0shka]

oooh, you gonna get fussed at!

I'm asking for it, right? I should resist. But it's hard.

 

[Brooks_]

Relax, people. GMO is not poison and is not going to kill your chickens. Or the planet. On the contrary, it increases yield per area and actually saves wild habitat from being destroyed to plant more crops for people and their animals. It's a good thing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/business/gmo-promise-falls-short.html

 

[NatJ]

How long will chicks be on the chick feed?

Until they start to lay eggs, or for their entire lives.

The only special thing about "layer" feed is the extra calcium it has.
You can put out a dish of oyster shell, and feed chick starter their entire lives, and they will be fine.

Or you can switch to layer feed when they start laying, if you wish.

Or you can change to a Flock Raiser or All Flock type feed at any point you wish. Some of those come in pellets, if you want that when the chicks grow bigger. With those feeds, you would also need to provide oyster shell in a separate dish when they are ready to lay eggs.