what should I feed??

[Ol Grey Mare]

If you do want to feed a chick feed and a feed for the older birds you can use a "creep feeder" that is setup so that the smaller birds can get in to access their feed, but the larger birds cannot.

 

[peeweethechick]

Those were very helpful!! will the oyster shells hurt the little ones!! also should I just do flock raiser? And what is the hen layer for? (sorry I am really new at this and everyone is telling me different thing I trust you guy more than anything)

 

[cabinchicky]

If you can hang oyster shell up out of chicks reach the large oyster shell will not be an issue. But yes different ages different feeds unless you can find flock raiser. Chicks can have small grit once they are a month old I believe.Hen layer feed is to help them to lay with the extra nutrients layers need.

 

[gander007]

Alright

I only feed my chicks Turkey Grow till adult hood and cracked corn is more like a candy then feed

BYC has a very useful learning center

 

[drumstick diva]

No wonder things seem crazy to you. As the others pointed out there are really just a view basics to remember. It just takes a while to assimilate the information.

 

[missnu01]

I feed my babies chick starter...If they are in with the adults then I feed everyone the starter for a few weeks. When I have turkeys in the coop I feed flock raiser, but without turkeys as soon as they are large enough to go in the big coop they can eat the layer pellets everyone else eats...and while people say chickens that aren't laying shouldn't eat laying pellets I have yet to have a rooster be caused an issue from the excess calcium.. and nobody I have heard of has either. All my birds are also free range so I don't put out oyster shell. I have a 50 lb bag I got 3 years ago. I can put some out but they won't eat it. But I do save all my egg shells and feed those back when the dish I put the shells into gets full...my roosters and non laying birds also like to eat the shells... it is a matter of preference really but chick's do better with slightly higher protein. But regular chuck starter is 18 percent protein and layer feed is 16 percent protein. When I have a broody in the coop those chick's start on the layer Pellet dust to no ill effects. If they want something else then the world is their oyster. All they have to do is walk about and find whatever their stomach desires

 

[peeweethechick]

thanks

 

[missnu01]

Layer pellets are usually 16 percent protein with added calcium for egg production. If your chickens don't free range or you feel like your ground is lacking minerals when they do free range you can give them oyster shell which they grind in their crop and utilize the calcium. A hen not getting enough calcium can start laying soft shelled eggs and also become more likely to become egg bound which means they get an egg stuck while trying to lay. Also they will start leaching calcium from their bones to add to the egg shells. My hens won't eat oyster shell but love their egg shells. People say the extra calcium in layer pellets is bad for birds that aren't laying but most roosters eat them with no ill effects and I haven't had a single rooster lay even one egg in years...lol.
It is a matter of preference. Every one had their own way

 

[peeweethechick]

missnu01 if you give them there egg shells do they peck at the egg in the nestng boxes? So layer feed is for laying hens. oyster shell can be used for minerals!! Flock raiser is for adults!! do you guy prefer any brand over another?Anything else? so dont put oyster shell on the ground if I have the chicks out? put it in a feeder higher up?When I get home some thing are going to change in the coop!!

(what age are the chick considered hen? I think it is when they start laying)

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

missnu01 if you give them there egg shells do they peck at the egg in the nestng boxes? So layer feed is for laying hens. oyster shell can be used for minerals!! Flock raiser is for adults!! do you guy prefer any brand over another?Anything else? so dont put oyster shell on the ground if I have the chicks out? put it in a feeder higher up?When I get home some thing are going to change in the coop!!

(what age are the chick considered hen? I think it is when they start laying)

I have never had an egg eater develop from using crushed egg shell as a calcium supplement. When presented as dried/crushed shell it is no different to them than oyster shell, etc.