Type of food

[Jmerilli]

I just recently changed my flock of 7s(6pullets, 1 roo) food from purina start and grow to dumor layer feed. I’ve actually been mixing the two foods till my start and grow bag is all gone. They are 16 and 21 weeks old. Is the layer feed going to be a problem for my 16 week old roo? Should I feed him something else? Thanks for the advice!

 

[WIchickMama]

An all flock or the grower feed with oyster shells on the side would work for everyone. Layer feed, from what I have read, has too much calcium for the boys long term.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

As stated above, the majority here at BYC say that layer feed is harmful long term for roosters. We feed ‘all flock’ to our adult flock of 5 hens & 1 rooster.

 

[SueT]

All flock here too. I feed everyone, of all ages, Purina Flock Raiser.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Any thoughts on this for mixed flock? Seems to be an all-in-one food, incl scratch & grit!!

 

[Jmerilli]

An all flock or the grower feed with oyster shells on the side would work for everyone. Layer feed, from what I have read, has too much calcium for the boys long term.

How long is long term, can I finish this bag and then get something else? What are the side effects of to much calcium in roosters?

 

[Jmerilli]

As stated above, the majority here at BYC say that layer feed is harmful long term for roosters. We feed ‘all flock’ to our adult flock of 5 hens & 1 rooster.

Do you feed them anything else (oyster shells, scratch)?

 

[RubelliteRose]

How long is long term, can I finish this bag and then get something else? What are the side effects of to much calcium in roosters?

Long term is months to years. Finishing the bag should be fine. At that age, my roo occasionally ate bits of the oyster shell too.
If you feed an all flock, you do need to provide a source of calcium in a separate container. We use oyster shell. For a flock of 7, one 50lb bag will last over a year.
We don't "feed" our free range flock anything besides Purina Flock Raiser and oyster shell on the side. We do give small amounts of scratch daily when we put them in the run at night. I consider that a treat, not food since it is not left out all day for them to eat. They get maybe 1/4 cup of scratch to share between all 21 birds.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Do you feed them anything else (oyster shells, scratch)?

We also have oyster shells and crushed egg shells in separate dishes available all day. They -and we- are not crazy about the oyster shells. Smells like bleach.

We Give also some daily scratch : (Dumore 5 grain brand at Tractor Supply we found is a far superior scratch then found at most grain stores. Most other scratch has only a couple of grains in it.

The original owners of our flock fed them cracked corn exclusively, but they were also totally free range except overnight.

To complicate things, the flock seems to greatly prefer we soak the all flock pellets before they go into their dish!

We are rethinking a lot of things. Right now they free range in a fenced pasture thats about 200x200 feet. We don’t think they’re getting enough natural protein and grasses. We might go unfenced free range instead. They coop themselves at night, and we just shut & lock their door. Might change their feed to Kalmbach brand. We want to be as NonGMO as possible.

 

[Brooks_]

Right now they free range in a fenced pasture thats about 200x200 feet. We don’t think they’re getting enough natural protein and grasses. We might go unfenced free range instead

Not knowing how many birds you have, it is just a guess from me. If they aren't getting what they need off 40,000 sf, it is unlikely that more space will provide anything new or better. Maybe they would prefer a crumble?