what feed can I use and how to feed them

[bryan8]

I have ten 4 week old red sex links and 2 one year old bantoms. I just got the banties and they are with my 4-week olds.

What do I have to feed them. The chicks are on dumor grower/starter. If I have to buy adult feed, how can I seperate them so they dont eat eacdh other feed. Can I have the 4 week olds off starter/grower yet?

Help...

~Bryan

 

[Mahlzeit]

There is no way you can seperate the birds?

 

[PunkinPeep]

some people build a little pen, sort of, around the smaller chicks' feed so that the bigger birds can't get in, but the chicks can.

unless they're meat birds, most people suggest keeping them on chick starter until they're laying age.

 

[SMan]

Somewhere on this forum there's a suggestion to use a flock management feed for all the birds and then supply oysters for calcium. Hopefully someone with more info will chime in.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Purina Flock Raiser. I give it to all my birds. Chicks, layers, guineas, quail. It's also good for ducks, geese and turkey. I just offer oyster shell for free choice

 

[NYREDS]

I solved the "what to feed" problem several years ago after visiting one of the best Black Rosecomb breeders in the country. All of his birds were in beautiful condition & I asked him what he fed.
He told me he only used one feed, a high protein game bird grower. Said he fed that to chicks & adult birds alike.
I switched to this method & it has worked out very well. The birds grow well, feather quickly & stay in good condition longer. Feather quality is improved & they lay & hatch well on this feed.
I am using a 22% protein Blue Seal product called Chick n Game Bird Starter Grower. I suspect other manufacturers make similar products.
A bonus is that when I'm away at a show for the weekend I don't have to give my wife a list of who gets fed what-there's only one feed. Really simplifies things. Don't have to decide when to switch feed. Don't have to decide if I should buy another bag of Starter of switch to Grower-no decisions to make.
Works real well for me.

 

[pkeeler]

Is the starter medicated? Are you eating eggs from the banties? You can feed starter to everyone. Not sure if you can eat eggs from chickens fed medicated feed. Put crushed oyster shell in a separate feeder. You can also put oats in a separate feeder, or mix them in 1:2 with the starter.

 

[bryan8]

Its this feed - http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_49186_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1


Its unmediated, and says good to 10 weeks for chickens. Can I keep my one year old banties on this untill my chicks get bigger?

~Bryan

And I eat my bantam eggs

 

[pkeeler]

I would think you could feed that to all your birds. Just offer oyster shell free choice. You can actually use that feed forever, if you want.