Topic of the Week - Feeding Chickens - What to feed and when?

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Scenario: I get my birds once every few years from a hatchery. I buy in larger numbers from 30-100 at a time. Sometimes other people come and get some of them after they "aren't delicate little chicks" anymore. Sometimes people just come for "finished"birds. Sometimes people just give me the money to "get" their chicks because wuantity buying is cheaper. I do keep a lot of them. Some of my birds are 6 years old. 1 rooster is gonna be 10 if he makes it till next spring. I use my birds for eggs and meat and breeding experiments crossbreeding to different breeds and sometimes even with pheasants or Guineas.

On to feed/s/ing……

If I can afford it I will feed my chicks non-medicated "20% Chick Starter" for a couple of weeks then "18% Grower" till they are about half grown(4or5months).
More often than not it's free range with the adults after the chick starter. Regarding "medicated feed" I haven't seen a great positive effect. I ain't saying not to use it though. I suppose in some instances it is necessary. Just that in the long run it hasn't done anything good for my birds. Many times my hens raise their own chicks "un savauge"
They eat grasses and legumes and slugs and bugs and other fruits of nature. I sometimes throw some some mixed grains to them. They start knowing a certain call and come running. That helps in the fall and nights during aerial predator season. I like to feed more corn during the fall and winter for the higher fat content. It gets pretty darn cold here sometimes. I'm talking -50*C.
I really prefer organic but need to be real if I can't get it.

My birds get treats every day. It's kind of bothersome having them underfoot occasionally but it is a control thing to have my chickens running to and/or with me. It's also helped save a few lives.....of chickens and turkeys and ducks and geese and Guinea fowl and even rabbits....from roaming dogs. Geez I even have Eagles, Falcons, Redtails and owls actually landing in my yard. But it's also kind of cute. So ya the 'treats' have in this case actually been helpful.
That said about "treats" my treats are more down to earth than cubed veggies and balled fruit.

I like to mix my own feed of pretty much even amounts of wheat oats and corn and about half that of barley. I really like peas and some beans. All my veggie peels and egg shells get scattered on the lawn and they have access to their own gravel/sand pile. They also seem to like ingesting certain amount of the thick high quality clay from around the edge of the pond. And always alway always fresh water. Anywhere from once to 7 times a day depending on the weather. Winter has its own challenges but still kinda simple.

I don't do fermented food mainly because I don't have it and it would be too much bother to make and properly look after it...for safety sake....for the chickens
However, in the winter I like reconstituting dehydrated alfalfa for them. They seem to love it and the payoff is I still get the nice richly yellow, almost orange, yolks of summer free range chickens.
In my neck of the woods "free range" is essentially wild.... bush, wetlands, meadow, pasture and lawn.

I think most BYC people would be shocked at how very much "KISS"(thnx speckled hen) my operation is.
My birds aren't pets and although they aren't forced to roost in trees all year round their chicken coop ain't a palace either. I used to expend tons of energy in fortifications for my birds but my life ain't just about my birds anymore. So no barnyard fowl Fort Knox here anymore.
Like I said "essentially wild"

Your style reads like what my husband is drumming into my head. I wonder if you are still active here as this post is kinda old. Looks like I could learn a lot from your set up. Thank you.

 

[HenHouse Henry]

View attachment 2732942​

This is a hot topic on our forums and questions like when to switch feed and what is the best feed comes up frequently. So, for our featured Topic of the Week this week I would like to ask your opinions and suggestions on feeding chickens. Specifically:

- Medicated or non-medicated feed?
- When do you switch from chick crumbs to grower and layer feed?
- Is it o.k. to feed older birds chick food, cockbirds layer feed, etc?
- Thoughts on organic feed?
- When do you start feeding treats and how much and often do you give these?
- Do you make/mix your own homemade feed? If so, what do you consider the best recipe(s)?
- Who uses fermented feed and what are your thoughts on that?


For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

- Medicated or non-medicated feed?
I feed the chicks non-medicated Game and show bird feed.
- When do you switch from chick crumbs to grower and layer feed?
At about 16 weeks I switch over to All Flock. I have crushed oyster shell in small cups throughout the coop.
- Is it o.k. to feed older birds chick food, cockbirds layer feed, etc?
never have
- Thoughts on organic feed?
too expensive
- When do you start feeding treats and how much and often do you give these?
BSF larvae, I start a a week old or so. Also cooked oats with crushed red peppers and chili powder. The yolks come out nice and dark
- Do you make/mix your own homemade feed? If so, what do you consider the best recipe(s)?
No

- Who uses fermented feed and what are your thoughts on that?
Not a fan, seems like a bit too much work.

 

[Ponypoor]

- Medicated or non-medicated feed?

Yes I feed chick feed with added Amprol for coccidiosis prevention.

- When do you switch from chick crumbs to grower and layer feed?

Whenever the bag of chick starter is finished then I how to a grower.

- Is it o.k. to feed older birds chick food, cockbirds layer feed, etc?

I haven’t had any issues and my gals prefer the chick grower to their layer ration

- Thoughts on organic feed?

Waste of money.

- When do you start feeding treats and how much and often do you give these?

I feed scratch as a bribe to get everyone in the barn, I also feed meal worms as treats to handle babies. They are exposed to these ‘treats’ from day one

- Do you make/mix your own homemade feed? If so, what do you consider the best recipe(s)?

Nope stopped doing that with the horses long ago and didn’t ever do with the chooks; it’s more economical to feed a prepared feed (sourcing ingredients, mixing it yourself, etc)

- Who uses fermented feed and what are your thoughts on that

Again it’s a waste of time I feel, and a risk of the feed gets contaminated with botulism, etc.
I do feed a soaked mash twice daily made from their layer (or chick food) and hot water, let it soak for about 15 min, it’s like a porridge and they all love this.

One thing I do feed is table scraps (veggies, meats, breads) which they all enjoy, (they refuse to eat broccoli !) they also free range a couple hrs a day in the good weather.

I keep it as simple as possible, feed, water, clean housing.

 

[chicken-tender]

Question: Is there any way to raise the protein level of 16% layer pellets? I bought some in bulk and now must feed it out before I can afford to switch to an all flock or 20 % feed.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Question: Is there any way to raise the protein level of 16% layer pellets? I bought some in bulk and now must feed it out before I can afford to switch to an all flock or 20 % feed.

You could get a bag of 22% game bird feed and mix them, but I'd probably just finish what you have and make the transition to 20% all flock

 

[chicken-tender]

Your style reads like what my husband is drumming into my head. I wonder if you are still active here as this post is kinda old. Looks like I could learn a lot from your set up. Thank you.

You could get a bag of 22% game bird feed and mix them, but I'd probably just finish what you have and make the transition to 20% all flock

Would that increase it 18 %?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Would that increase it 18 %?

Yes

Your style reads like what my husband is drumming into my head. I wonder if you are still active here as this post is kinda old. Looks like I could learn a lot from your set up. Thank you.

That member hasn't been active since 2019

 

[RoyalChick]

You could get a bag of 22% game bird feed and mix them, but I'd probably just finish what you have and make the transition to 20% all flock

Agree. You could also just supplement with some meat or fish (mine love cat food) until that bag is done and then go to the 20% All Flock.

 

[chicken-tender]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I will just try the 22% game bird mix. Seems easier. I think the cat food idea will be great this winter when its really cold here in the north. Right now, my predator of the day is cats. Like about 2 or 3 every night!

 

[KimsNest]

- Medicated or non-medicated feed?

I believe it does not matter. Out here in the forgotten provinces where there are few choices where to buy feed, often the store doesn't have what I need at any given time. I've fed both medicated and unmedicated chick feed, and never had any problems. I've been thinking that if you can only find unmedicated starter and you really want medicated, why not just mix some amprolium (Corid) at the preventative dose in the chicks' water? Seems it would accomplish the same thing.

I've fed simple all-flock feed (Purina Flock Raiser) to baby chicks, too, and they did just fine. (Again, the forgotten provinces thing.)

- When do you switch from chick crumbs to grower and layer feed?

I get the smallest bag of chick crumbles and when it runs out, the chicks get whatever the big kids are eating.

- Is it o.k. to feed older birds chick food, cockbirds layer feed, etc?

I've bought the chick starter when my feed store was all out of the all-flock feed. (Forgotten provinces). It's really not much different. In fact, a lot of folks like chick starter for fermenting feed for their general flock.

I do not feed layer feed to any of my flock. I've run a taste test on my girls and they hate layer. Yuk, they say, we won't eat it. They prefer all-flock feed. The added calcium is a problem for my older, "retired" layers, and it's not good for the rooster, and it's not good for the pre-laying pullets, either. I recommend everyone but commercial egg producers just avoid it all together.

Unless you have a young flock of only laying hens and will be culling them before you get baby chicks, and if you don't keep roosters, using an all-flock feed is far more practical than juggling the different feeds in a mixed flock.

- Thoughts on organic feed?

Over-hyped. But if you can find it and afford it, go for it! Out here in the forgotten provinces, I have never seen it.

- When do you start feeding treats and how much and often do you give these?

Immediately. My baby chicks are brooded on sand outdoors in the run. They gobble grit their first two days, pack their little crops, and I feed meal worms practically from the first day I get them. That's how to bond with your chicks, by the way.

Treats are doled out sparingly. I've noticed that baby chicks won't tackle foods they aren't ready for. Chick food should be 99% of what they eat in their first few months.

- Do you make/mix your own home-made feed? If so, what do you consider the best recipe(s)?

No, I don't have the time.


- Who uses fermented feed and what are your thoughts on that?

I'm a big believer in fermenting feed. I've been feeding FF for several years now, and the results in my flock are astonishing. I ferment the feed I give to baby chicks. They take right to it.

However, dry crumbles sprinkled over the ground will "train" a baby chick to begin eating. They seem to have an instinct to find their food on the ground at first, and a broody hen has an easier time getting her chicks to start eating if I do this.

But the chicks are eating fermented feed by the end of their first week, no problem. I generally use very small cups for this so they don't go swimming and frolicking in their food, as is their inclination.

Great reply! Very informative and “real”.