When to switch mixed breed 10 chicken flock to layer feed?

[gtaus]

I figure that layer feed is designed for the chickens in cages who get absolutely nothing else and there is no intent to support the birds any longer than maybe 2 egg seasons. That's my own opinion, I am not a chicken nutritionist and I don't even play one on television.

I'm not a chicken nutritionist either. I suppose the commercial feed is formulated for maximum benefit of the chicken. But I really don't care if my girls prefer to forage for half, or more, of their daily food. My commercial feed usage has dropped in half after I let my girls out on a grass run. I also give them kitchen scraps when available, but with just the wife and me, there is not a great quantity of scraps. I have also been feeding barley sprouts to the girls and they seem to enjoy that. I think the barley sprouts will be really nice in the winter when grass is no longer available. I hope that a variety in the diet will benefit the girls, but if nothing else they seem to be happy digging and scratching in the run looking for food.

 

[Lilyput]

I have a small backyard flock of 10 chickens, from 10 different breeds. They are currently 18 weeks old and no eggs - yet. I just put out the nest boxes today with some fake eggs, thinking that it might not be too long before some of the chickens start laying. Because they are different breeds, I expect some girls to start laying weeks after the first eggs arrive.

My current plan is to keep all the chickens on a 18% grower/raiser feed until I start seeing some eggs. When I see eggs, I plan on continuing with the grower feed but also offering oyster shells in a separate small feeder, thinking only the girls laying eggs will be eating the oyster shells. When I start getting a number of eggs everyday, then I plan on switching over to layer feed (which include oyster shells) for all the chickens. Is this a reasonable plan or should I consider something else? Thanks.

I would never switch to layer feed. Stick with an all flock feed with oyster shell on the side. You will find that you will always have different aged hens and maybe end up with a rooster and you never have to worry because the chickens that need the calcium will choose the extra oyster shell and those that don't need it, won't be poisoned.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I would avoid layer feed. Period. Typically offers less protein and the calcium overload on your rooster, non-laying pullets and no-longer-laying spent hens, and all of the chicks can cause serious damage to the health of these non-laying birds. I'd keep them on the all flock feed (or can feed non-medicated chick feed) for life. All members of your flock can enjoy this and simply put calcium supplement out on the side, as you're already planning. These non-laying members of your flock still need calcium, just not as much; having it available on the side allows for each individual bird to satisfy their need without overdoing it. If you plan to keep your birds past their prime egg laying years, you may wish to add vitamin and mineral supplements to their water (water must be changed daily) to reduce your headache and heartache down the road. It's been my experience that 'balanced feed' is typically lacking the nutrients needed to 'go the long haul' and is geared more for maintaining a bird only until the bird reaches an age where a commercial farmer would cull for a younger, more productive animal. I guess I'm saying that it's not balanced for a back yard flock, where your birds become your pets, and live six, seven, ten years... or however long God has planned for them.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I think the barley sprouts will be really nice in the winter when grass is no longer available. I hope that a variety in the diet will benefit the girls, but if nothing else they seem to be happy digging and scratching in the run looking for food.

Unsalted sunflower seeds in the shell and millet (both sold in pet food stores) also sprout nicely. The sunflowers will add some much needed fat in their winter diet as well.

 

[gtaus]

The sunflowers will add some much needed fat in their winter diet as well.

I'll look more into sprouting sunflower seeds. I do know sunflower seeds are almost twice the price of barley seed. So, if I do get sunflower seeds, I would mix a small measure with my other grains to keep the cost down.

As to sprouting seeds for fodder, I just bought a 50# bag of oats and have started a bin of oats in my fodder rack as a test to compare to the results I get with my barley fodder.

I also checked into whole corn, but my local mill told me that their 50# bag of whole corn is non germinated and will not sprout. They do have seed corn but that is crazy expensive - like buying a pack of garden seeds from Menards expensive. I don't remember exactly what the cost was, but it was something like $15.00 per pound of corn seed. For that price, I can buy 100# of barley seeds for sprouting and fodder.

 

[gtaus]

I would avoid layer feed. Period. Typically offers less protein and the calcium overload on your rooster, non-laying pullets and no-longer-laying spent hens, and all of the chicks can cause serious damage to the health of these non-laying birds. I'd keep them on the all flock feed (or can feed non-medicated chick feed) for life. All members of your flock can enjoy this and simply put calcium supplement out on the side, as you're already planning. These non-laying members of your flock still need calcium, just not as much; having it available on the side allows for each individual bird to satisfy their need without overdoing it. If you plan to keep your birds past their prime egg laying years, you may wish to add vitamin and mineral supplements to their water (water must be changed daily) to reduce your headache and heartache down the road. It's been my experience that 'balanced feed' is typically lacking the nutrients needed to 'go the long haul' and is geared more for maintaining a bird only until the bird reaches an age where a commercial farmer would cull for a younger, more productive animal. I guess I'm saying that it's not balanced for a back yard flock, where your birds become your pets, and live six, seven, ten years... or however long God has planned for them.

Many good points to consider. This is my first year with laying hens, and all my pullets are the same age (19 weeks old). Only one pullet is laying, my ISA Brown, but I expect the others to start laying soon. I have grower feed for another 4-6 weeks and am currently offering calcium in a side dish. At the end of that grower bag, I hope most of my girls will be laying. I don't have any other chicks, or roosters, but will keep you advice in mind for the following years as I expect I will have birds of different ages and maybe a rooster or two in the flock.

 

[gtaus]

I would never switch to layer feed. Stick with an all flock feed with oyster shell on the side. You will find that you will always have different aged hens and maybe end up with a rooster and you never have to worry because the chickens that need the calcium will choose the extra oyster shell and those that don't need it, won't be poisoned.

Well, all my pullets are the same age, but they are different breeds and some mature faster than others. Only my ISA Brown is laying at present, but I hope the others will start up soon.

 

[Ebony Rose]

For your future harvest then, you can grow sunflowers around your fence line (they grow very tall) and with a watchful eye, pick them and dry them before the wild birds eat them all. Can lay them under screen mesh, seed side up and allow the sun to naturally dehydrate them. The mesh would keep other birds out of them while they dry for the winter. Toss the dry heads into a labeled rubbermaid type tote. One bag of seeds from your feed store (unsalted type usually sold for parrots and the like) will grow boatloads (or toteloads) of sunflowers for your winter needs.