What do you feed your layers?

[Chipmunk Chicks]

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.

We have ducks as well as chickens, so people with roosters or other types of birds will use all flock and offer calcium in the side for the layers. Many people prefer higher protein; some say it's not all that necessary. It comes down to a personal choice weighing different factors that might be important TO YOU (See stormcrow's post above). For me, availability is a big one. It could be the "best" food in the world, at an awesome price point, but if I can't readily get my hands on it then well, it doesn't do me much good lol

 

[Brooks_]

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.

The biggest difference is the amount of calcium in layer. I am of the thought that even layers don't need all that calcium all the time (injury/illness, molt, slow winter production, breed is an infrequent layer, etc). I use flock raiser crumbles with oyster shell on the side and let them self regulate the calcium intake. I like crumbles because all life stages can eat it.

Look at U_Stormcrow's posts about feed and you will be able to pick the best feed for your situation.

 

[Crooked C Farm]

Now that is correct

Then you flipped the percentages in your previous post

I misread my printing.
Fixed it now.

 

[Violanna]

We have ducks as well as chickens, so people with roosters or other types of birds will use all flock and offer calcium in the side for the layers. Many people prefer higher protein; some say it's not all that necessary. It comes down to a personal choice weighing different factors that might be important TO YOU (See stormcrow's post above). For me, availability is a big one. It could be the "best" food in the world, at an awesome price point, but if I can't readily get my hands on it then well, it doesn't do me much good lol

Thanks that is helpful. I’m adding 2 ducks to my flock next week. I planned to just supplement peas and nutritional yeast for them, is changing the feed a better option?

 

[balkflock]

I mix Bryant Grain’s lay pellets, cracked corn, oats, and black oil sunflower seeds into a bucket where I ferment the feed. Fermenting grows beneficial bacteria and makes it easier for them to digest the feed. Before we started, a lot of our feed would get pecked out of the feeder and gave us a rat problem, but now the feed clumps together and they eat it like its oatmeal. Every week I will sprinkle a bit of food-grade diatomaceous earth in their feed to de-worm them.

 

[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]

A very easy way to figure out percentage is to add your components. 17+17+28=62 then divide by # of components which is 3 parts so 62 divided by 3 = 20.67

But your percentage isn't exact. Your percentage is around .91% off and could add up (as below) when you add more ingredients.

Example --
If we use,
layer 17% - 74 lb
corn 8.8% - 1 lb
game bird 28% - 25 lbs

Your math gives a 17.93%
It's actually 19.66%
A 1.73 difference.

 

[Brooks_]

But your percentage isn't exact. Your percentage is around .91% off and could add up (as below) when you add more ingredients.

Example --
If we use,
layer 17% - 74 lb
corn 8.8% - 1 lb
game bird 28% - 25 lbs

Your math gives a 17.93%
It's actually 19.66%
A 1.73 difference.

Those are not equal parts. Hunt's formula would not apply.

 

[Huntmaster]

But your percentage isn't exact. Your percentage is around .91% off and could add up (as below) when you add more ingredients.

Example --
If we use,
layer 17% - 74 lb
corn 8.8% - 1 lb
game bird 28% - 25 lbs

Your math gives a 17.93%
It's actually 19.66%
A 1.73 difference.

Your correct I should have emphasized equal parts as I shown in all my examples.