What do you feed your layers?

[MysteryChicken]

As in at the same time or those are the go tos?

All Flock is for Standard, & Bantam Coop, & Flock Raiser for the Mixed flock Coop. Mixed Flock Coop has a feeder that flows better with crumbles rather then pellets.

 

[Silexian]

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.

 

[Fallenone05]

I live in Oklahoma, and we have our own feed mill called Big V Feeds based in McAlester. The family-owned farm store carries it. I give all my chickens the All Way feed, which is made into the baby kernel size, and made for every age of a mixed flock. I haven't checked if it's good for ducks yet (and I probably need to) but my girls have the prettiest, shiniest feathers and lay well on it. Oyster shell or crushed egg shells on the side, too.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I see you attached U-stormcrow to the

waiting patiently, lol

Lmao Right!????

But, but, but.... No worries, we'll be right here... Waiting...

Y'all know that's what the notifications are for. Don't just sit here all day.

 

[Sally PB]

Ok my girls are only 16 weeks old so I still have them on start/grow. I’m picking up a bag of Nutrena tomorrow, but I’m seeing a lot of ppl say they use all flock or flock raiser instead of layer mix. Can someone please explain the differences and pros and cons? Feed store I’m going to is 40mins away so I want to know what to get ahead of time. They carry all versions of Nutrena plus a couple other brands.

Layer = more calcium, less protein (16-17%), cheaper in cost.
Flock Raiser/Maker/All Flock = less calcium, more protein, usually in the 18-20% range, and more expensive.

Why it matters. Layer feed is designed for laying chickens. The calcium is needed for the pullets/hens, but is too much for cockerels/roosters for long periods. It's 16% protein because it's what commercial egg producers have figured out is the lowest (cheapest) formulation to feed and still get eggs. If they could get production levels they need on less, believe me, it would be less. Pennies matter at their scale.

All flock/Flock raiser/Maker has the amount of calcium that birds of either sex need, but you have to provide extra on the side for laying pullets/hens (in the form of oyster shells or crushed egg shells, or both), so they get enough to lay eggs with good shells. The layers will instinctively take what they need. The others might sample, but probably won't eat much. This type of feed also has a higher percentage of protein, and is therefore more expensive. A lot of the formulations are good for mixed flocks, and you might want to consider that if you're adding ducks.

I settled on Kalmbach Flock Maker 20%, which I get for about $23/50 pound bag. The other "bells and whistles," ie, non-GMO, organic, soy free, or corn free, are going to add to the cost of any brand of feed.

 

[Violanna]

Layer = more calcium, less protein (16-17%), cheaper in cost.
Flock Raiser/Maker/All Flock = less calcium, more protein, usually in the 18-20% range, and more expensive.

Why it matters. Layer feed is designed for laying chickens. The calcium is needed for the pullets/hens, but is too much for cockerels/roosters for long periods. It's 16% protein because it's what commercial egg producers have figured out is the lowest (cheapest) formulation to feed and still get eggs. If they could get production levels they need on less, believe me, it would be less. Pennies matter at their scale.

All flock/Flock raiser/Maker has the amount of calcium that birds of either sex need, but you have to provide extra on the side for laying pullets/hens (in the form of oyster shells or crushed egg shells, or both), so they get enough to lay eggs with good shells. The layers will instinctively take what they need. The others might sample, but probably won't eat much. This type of feed also has a higher percentage of protein, and is therefore more expensive. A lot of the formulations are good for mixed flocks, and you might want to consider that if you're adding ducks.

I settled on Kalmbach Flock Maker 20%, which I get for about $23/50 pound bag. The other "bells and whistles," ie, non-GMO, organic, soy free, or corn free, are going to add to the cost of any brand of feed.

Thank you so much my local feed store Carries Kalmbach so I’m glad to see people here using it. I’ve read a lot of great things about Nutrena and am already going to the area where the feed store that carries that is which is why I’m grabbing a bag of that. I already have oyster shells on hand for when we start getting eggs and I’m adding 2 ducklings next week, so I think I’m going to go with one of the mixed flock versions with mid level protein ~20%

 

[Crooked C Farm]

@Crooked C Farm Sorry if anything I posted was offensive in any way, my posts are usually short and direct without ill attentions and know we all make mistakes. (Never was much on writing essays. ) I was just trying to point out a few misstatements so no one would have any ill effects and gave some examples of the different % using those feed % and an easy formula for getting % of equal components.

100% prefers arrows over darts or axes here.

Your good, I got called into work and by the time I got off work and got night chores done it was too late to get on here.

It will take more than a little post to offend me.

 

[Huntmaster]

Your good, I got called into work and by the time I got off work and got night chores done it was too late to get on here.

It will take more than a little post to offend me.

Great and I would like to WELCOME YOU TO BYC there are some very knowledgeable folks here on BYC always willing to help and I'm sure you will fit in with them nicely.

 

[Shadrach]

This as regular feed. About to change to crumble mash from the same brand.

2 tins of this properly drained spread over the week.

This for two to three hours a day. By far their favourite.

One eight year old rooster. One six or seven year old Legbar. One three or four year old Marans/Legbar cross. One three to four year old Red Sex Link Ex Battery hen. One Ex Battery hen of unknown age.

I/we settled on the pellets, not due to the nutritional content but because of the pellet size which is smaller than standard which they seem to prefer.

Due to the variety of stuff grown on the allotments there is a decent supply of bugs, roots and abandoned veg.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I feed Nutrena Naturewise All Flock Pellets, & Purina Flock Raiser with Oyster shells on the side.