What to feed 19 week chickens & 1 roo

chickmamato7

Songster
Aug 13, 2020
282
642
191
Rochester, NY
Hi,

I'm new to raising chickens this year, so it's my first experience with winter feeding. My flock is 19 weeks old. I have 3 silver laced Wyandottes with red combs & Crevecoeurs that are more slowly maturing (only 1 crev is showing any red). None are squatting yet. I also have one fully grown & mature rooster (same age). My last feed bag is empty and I am about to purchase another 50 lb bag. What should I get, considering it's winter and I'm in upstate NY? Is all flock the best choice or should I stick with the starter and just add calcium once they begin to squat or lay? Not sure what to do, since some members mentioned using a higher protein feed in winter and others have mention not adding calcium until Jan/Feb, when egg production begins).
 
At 19 weeks, flock raiser is perfect. It has the perfect amount of protein and no excess calcium that could harm your rooster. Just offer free choice oyster shells on the side for the hens; they will eat it when they need it and the rooster should ignore it (he may peck at it out of curiosity and maybe eat a little, but it won’t hurt him). And about the oyster shell harming the hens not laying; it will not as like I said above, they will eat it as they need it. When I have no roosters I start my girls on layer feed at 18 weeks regardless of whether they’re laying or not, but that’s just me.
 
Hi,

I'm new to raising chickens this year, so it's my first experience with winter feeding. My flock is 19 weeks old. I have 3 silver laced Wyandottes with red combs & Crevecoeurs that are more slowly maturing (only 1 crev is showing any red). None are squatting yet. I also have one fully grown & mature rooster (same age). My last feed bag is empty and I am about to purchase another 50 lb bag. What should I get, considering it's winter and I'm in upstate NY? Is all flock the best choice or should I stick with the starter and just add calcium once they begin to squat or lay? Not sure what to do, since some members mentioned using a higher protein feed in winter and others have mention not adding calcium until Jan/Feb, when egg production begins).
You can stick with the starter, or switch to Flock Raiser or All Flock and put out a container or two of oyster shell for free choice feeding. They will eat the calcium when needed. It stays out year round. Your pullets may start laying this year but I would think they will hold out for longer days.
Your cockerel will pick a the OS along with the pullets out of curiosity.
 
Just curious-- what is the difference between Flock Raiser and All Flock? Is one for all types of poultry in general and the other for all ages/genders of chickens?
 
Hi,

I'm new to raising chickens this year, so it's my first experience with winter feeding. My flock is 19 weeks old. I have 3 silver laced Wyandottes with red combs & Crevecoeurs that are more slowly maturing (only 1 crev is showing any red). None are squatting yet. I also have one fully grown & mature rooster (same age). My last feed bag is empty and I am about to purchase another 50 lb bag. What should I get, considering it's winter and I'm in upstate NY? Is all flock the best choice or should I stick with the starter and just add calcium once they begin to squat or lay? Not sure what to do, since some members mentioned using a higher protein feed in winter and others have mention not adding calcium until Jan/Feb, when egg production begins).
My SLW laid in Dec the first year I had them. And laid an egg every day. all winter long. They are a little over a year old now and not laying. 90% of my 13 birds had a hard molt this fall. I have one WLH who has less than 50% of her feathers right now. I see her shivering even in the enclosed coop which is above freezing. My jug is not frozen. I hope she stared to feather out soon. I might have to break my aversion to chicken sweaters. In the 30's here most recently but is suppose to get into the teens. I can see more skin than feathers. Three of my WLH are laying. They have been laying daily since I got them Sept of '19. One of my 8 brown layers is laying also but I don't know which one.
 
The all flock I have seen tries to balance the needs ducks, turkey's, ect. I feed starter/grower, because I prefer organic and fresh, and can consistently get what I want as a starter grower. They eat the bigger pieces first and about every 3 days I empty the fines and mix with water to make a peanut butter consistency mash. They devour it.
 
Just curious-- what is the difference between Flock Raiser and All Flock? Is one for all types of poultry in general and the other for all ages/genders of chickens?

The name. Like I use "hatch-to-hen" which is also the same thing, different name. Many feeds labeled "grower" are also similar in nutritional make up.

Go by nutrition panel and not the names, if in doubt.
 
So I was talked into this brand at the feed store by an experienced chicken keeper: https://www.originalfeeds.com/feed-selection/chicken-feed/.

Upon opening the bag, I was disappointed to find that it was very powdery with whole bits of corn and grains that could easily be pecked out... but I went ahead and filled the feeder anyway to see the response. To my surprise, my chickens went nuts for this feed and ate it all, not just the grains. They didn't fling it everywhere, either. Just gobbled it up like they were starving. They had previously been reluctant crumble eaters (my fault for over-treating), so I had resorted to wet, warmed mash mixed with a little fruit in the morning to get their nutritional needs met at the start of the day. This feed could be a game changer if it's as healthy as it tastes to them. Any thoughts on the contents (is it normal to include salt?):
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So I was talked into this brand at the feed store by an experienced chicken keeper: https://www.originalfeeds.com/feed-selection/chicken-feed/.

Upon opening the bag, I was disappointed to find that it was very powdery with whole bits of corn and grains that could easily be pecked out... but I went ahead and filled the feeder anyway to see the response. To my surprise, my chickens went nuts for this feed and ate it all, not just the grains. They didn't fling it everywhere, either. Just gobbled it up like they were starving. They had previously been reluctant crumble eaters (my fault for over-treating), so I had resorted to wet, warmed mash mixed with a little fruit in the morning to get their nutritional needs met at the start of the day. This feed could be a game changer if it's as healthy as it tastes to them. Any thoughts on the contents (is it normal to include salt?):

Yes feeds include a small amount of salt (0.25-0.75% is what I see in grower type feeds).

I would still try fermenting it, even if just in the morning, to ensure they all are getting an even mix of everything in the feed. It's also a good way to reduce waste as any powder left at the bottom of the feeder can be mixed in with the ferment, because even if the chickens want to eat it, it's more difficult to eat a dry powder.
 
I still have salvaged powder from the previous crumble to use up, so I might as well continue with the practice of warm morning mash. I find that it gives me peace of mind and helps me to resist the temptation of over-treating when I play a larger role in the feeding routine.
 

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