what should I feed my chickens?

[adamaschun]

I know this has been asked, and the answer is here somewhere, I just can't find it right now

My MIL insists that corn is a good everyday food for chickens. I think we need to go to the Co-Op and buy some feed designed for chickens. Buster, our cockerel has been eating DuMor chick feed, but since he is 6 months old, I think he needs something different.

The new hens (or I guess they are pullets technically, don't really know their age) love the corn, but this can't be good to feed them all the time surely?



Thanks! I really have a lot to learn, obviously.

 

[TcherDawn]

Feed a commercial chicken feed designed for their age. My hens are commercial crosses, and any time I give too many treats or too much scratch(corn), they come up with soft shell eggs. One had an egg break inside her, and she got an infection. We had to put her down. Commercial feed has the right amount of nutrients for chickens. I also put out crushed oyster shell for calcium and grit free choice, so they eat that as needed. Giving them good food is the foundation of having healthy laying chickens.

 

[awesomefowl]

At 4 months start feeding layer/breeder ration, from a feed store. Yes, the chickens love corn but DO NOT feed them much, should be an occasional treat. So should scratch grains. Corn makes chickens fat, and in laying hens esp. this can cause nasty problen you don't want to deal with. Hope this helps you!

 

[BarredBuff]

If you freerange thats okay for the corn but if not a commercial feed is best. They would all need layer feed.

 

[adamaschun]

Thank you all! I went to the feed store after work and bought some Layena.