What do you feed your layers?

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Hi, y'all. Curious about people's honest experiences with feed, and/or experiences with changing feeds.

I was using a much more expensive Grubbly Farms feed to raise our chicks and grow as they came into lay. However we also added ducks, which we put on the NatureWise All Flock, readily available from TSC. We tried another locally available cheap grower + oyster shells while the last few birds came into lay, and we have since switched them all over to the all flock. [+ oyster shells or lightly toasted eggshells on the side.]

So far, we've had a lot of success! I'm not sure if their feathers appear quite as shiny on this feed vs. the Grubbly Farms, but the birds are all still totally soft, fluffy, healthy, and laying. So as much as I love the other feed, for my needs, at this time I just couldn't justify the pricetag.

Our Australorps came into lay mid-late September, (that I know of. I had to keep them in the coop a few days because I suspected someone might be laying in the yard, and got the first egg 9/20). The Welsummers took about six weeks longer and we got our first speckled and terra cotta eggs starting 11/21.

We have had no problems with them laying over the winter, either. I may not get many on days I need to keep them confined, but they always make up for it the next day. One day, we even got an egg from literally every single chicken in our flock!!!

So that's all; interested to hear how it's been going for others on their respective feeds, if you've had any reason to switch, and how that went as well.

 

[Brooks_]

I use Purina flock raiser with oyster shell on the side. Other than price increases, I am still happy with it. I had slowed production from mid-late November with production starting to increase around January 7. Read that as molt and short daylight hours.

 

[Sally PB]

I have 6 hens and a rooster. I feed them all Kalmbach Flock Maker 20%, and have for about a year now. They have grit, oyster shell, and crushed egg shell on the side.

Three hens are almost 3 years old, the other three are almost 2. Production came to a halt in October/November while they all had serious molts. One is back to laying, four others are getting close. The last hen still has a pale comb.

Our weather has been a rollercoaster. Colder and way more snow than usual in November. The Christmas blizzard in December. January has been warmer, drier, and gloomier than average. We're heading for more normal winter temps/precip in the next few days.

In other words, I have birds who are past their best laying days, the weather has been wonky, and it's been dark and gloomy. Has Kalmbach "cheapened" their feed, since they haven't really raised their price commensurate with inflation? Dunno. Would I like to have 3 birds laying now, like I did this time last year? Of course.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I feed whatever the feed store has, usually either Dumor or Nutrena all-flock with oyster on the side (I have a rooster). I'm very happy with it. Feathers look great. Everyone's happy and healthy (except for one of my oldest hens who is dealing with lameness). My production dropped for a few weeks between molt and non-stop rain for about a month. It's back up to normal now.

Before the rains turned everything to mud, they had access to forage and grazing boxes in their yard. I will replant all of that once the weather is more stable.

 

[springvalley123]

I've been feeding Nature's Best organic, non-gmo, starter/grower 20% from arrival through laying. I have always had oyster shells in a separate dish. FWIW they are going through the oyster shells more than previous flocks, and more now than they did ever since they started laying last summer (August roughly). One bird occasionally sneezes---a sneeze doesn't make a respiratory disease by itself. I did notice that this formula has DE in the ingredient list though. There is plenty of dust, as much as with cheaper crumbles.

I've had other flocks of birds, and they've varied as to whether they go into a hard molt or more diffuse molt, even second-year, birds hatched in the fall, but my current flock is only 10 months old and doing well on this formula. In spite of their time of hatch, the EE and OE stopped for a couple months to molt literally about 10 feathers each. The legbar-based easter egger hasn't resumed laying but her comb is red.... The ameraucana based olive egger is laying again. As expected the 2 barred rocks and probable production red/sex link never missed a beat laying wise.

I've had all flock, also with good results. The brand varied, and it was a few years ago almost.

I've had numerous birds turn up their beaks at the NatureWise feather fixer FWIW.

ETA*** when I've changed formulas (organic/flock raiser to starter grower etc) i've always just switched, not mixing old with new, never had any problems with behavior, laying, stools, etc.

 

[Sally PB]

when I've changed formulas (organic/flock raiser to starter grower etc) i've always just switched, not mixing old with new, never had any problems with behavior, laying, stools, etc.

Same here, except for when I transition chicks from starter/grower to flock maker. Then I mix them and slowly change the mixture from mostly one to the other.

 

[Alagirl]

Same here, except for when I transition chicks from starter/grower to flock maker. Then I mix them and slowly change the mixture from mostly one to the other.

I guess it does not matter much, as chickens don't gobble up tons of food at a time. I did mix feed at transition time but came to realize it does not work like with other animals.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I feed flock raiser with free choice oyster shell. Surprisingly my game hens, who’s laying normally slows or stops during the summer, fall and winter. Has remained steady. While my laying hens have slowed considerably. To what they normally lay during the winter. Overall we are experiencing a mild winter. Even with most days being above freezing. There has been a lot of cloudy, overcast days. Along with some dramatic temperature swings. It will be fifty degrees F. in the morning. Drop into the teens by evening, then falling below zero by the next morning. Bouncing back into fifties again. within a few days. Which has to have their systems going crazy.

That IS crazy weather. What a weird year it's been for much of the US.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I...

feed in a way I don't recommend others do. I don't have the same expectations of my birds, and they don't get the lifespan that most BYCers want for theirs. I also have greater risk tolerance than many.

So, since you asked. I feed my birds once a day a mix (50/50) of a 16% "Layer" formulation frrom a local mill with a 24% "Grower" formulation from the same mill - and that goes to all my adult birds, both genders, and also my ducks (both genders). My young birds (until 8-10 weeks) are raised on the 24% grower exclusively. The rest of the time, they free range acres of polyculture, which varies with the season.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You DO realize that my ego DOES NOT need the boost, right???

So, Market Segmentation and Branding.

This is how manufacturers turn one product into many and advertise to the (generally ignorant/easily influenced) in an effort to convince buyers that theirs is the best (or only) product specific to the purchaser's needs.

We here on BYC are better educated than that, or can be. The words used to define segmentation "Layer", "Maintenance", "Starter", "Grower", "Starter/Grower", "All Flock/Flock Raiser", "Super Layer/Feather Fixer" are suggestive, but nothing more than that. If you want a guarantee? Read the nutritional label.

I feed a "Game Bird Grower". It happens to be 24% protein, 1% calcium +/-. I've seen "Game Bird Grower" feeds north of 30% protein! I've also seen "Meat Bird Feed" that looks, nutritionally, much like mine.

"Starter" feed is often medicated (usually Amprolium, in the US), but its certainly not always medicated. Other feeds generally aren't - though the big makers produce medicated versions of some of their other feeds. I've purchased medicated layer before, and even a medicated All Flock!

The important thing is that you first determine what your birds likely need, then go out and find a feed that is A) Fresh, B) at a price you are willing to pay, that C) meets your desired nutritional targets.
There are other market segments which are nutritionally meaningless (with Oregano, Marigolds, Corn free, Soy free, nonGmo, "all natural", Organic, Vegan) that may be valuable to you - they are not valuable to me. Like feeding medicated, that's a very personal and situationally dependent decision I can't and won't make for you. Some of those words are warnings to me - not because they are inherently bad, but because they reduce the number of potential ingredients, which makes production of a nutritionally complete feed that much harder - and because the usual ways of doing so involve trade-offs I generally prefer not to make (i.e. "soy free" usually means higher price, lower methionine, and higher fat. NOT ALWAYS. But often.) Read the label.

tl;dr? It doesn't really matter what its called. What matters is that its fresh, and meets the nutritional needs of your birds at a price you are willing to pay.