when to switch to Layer feed

[amylaloon]

we're pretty new at this, i was just reading these posts and they answered all my questions. except, i was just wondering, about roosters, they are fine eating what ever layer feed that everyone else is eating right? cause that would be impossible, to feed your rooster seperate eh? am i nuts? hehehe

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
No, you're not nuts. It's a common question actually. The roos can eat the layer feed just fine. Most layer feeds that I have found have only a small amount of calcium in them anyways, usually 3 or 4%. That's why alot of us supplement with oyster shell. I supplement and I have never once seen my rooster eat the OS, although he does call his girls over to it when I put out a new batch. There are those that say the calcium in the layer feed will damage a roo's organs and settle in his joints over time, but he'd have to live a very long time before the effects would become a problem.
If you are really concerned about it, you could always feed the whole flock a "flock raiser" type of feed instead of the layer feed, offering OS on the side for the hens that need it.

 

[amylaloon]

thanks a bunch. im sure i could have looked back through old posts to find that eventually, but i just wasnt up to it.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
This is what I do with my flock, simply because I have various ages of chickens. I tried feeding layer feed in the Big Coop where the Big Chickens stay (the laying population) and general purpose or grower/finisher feed next to the coops where the juveniles hang out, but the Big Chickens kept eating the grower/finisher and I got a couple of soft eggs.

So I changed to all grower/finisher feed for EVERYBODY over 8 weeks of age and now keep crushed oyster shell available free choice. There's always some in an empty tuna can nailed to an inside coop wall, and I often toss some on the ground in a particular place so Thelma the duck can get some, too. Occasionally the hens assist her with cleaning up that stash.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
This is what I do with my flock, simply because I have various ages of chickens. I tried feeding layer feed in the Big Coop where the Big Chickens stay (the laying population) and general purpose or grower/finisher feed next to the coops where the juveniles hang out, but the Big Chickens kept eating the grower/finisher and I got a couple of soft eggs.

So I changed to all grower/finisher feed for EVERYBODY over 8 weeks of age and now keep crushed oyster shell available free choice. There's always some in an empty tuna can nailed to an inside coop wall, and I often toss some on the ground in a particular place so Thelma the duck can get some, too. Occasionally the hens assist her with cleaning up that stash.

Yeah, that's what I intend to do as soon as the babies are living next door to the adult birds. I'm sure there will be some food snitching going on between the two flocks. Problem I'm running into is finding a suitable food for all my birds. I don't want the meaties having too high a protein and none of the young ones are ready for layer feed yet. The babies are on gamebird grower for the time being. Our local feedstores carry starter, gamebird grower and layer feed and that's about it. I'm probably going to have to ask them to order the Purina Flock Raiser and keep my fingers crossed that the manager remembers to do it consistently.

 

[new chick 203]

what if they free range a bit everyday? will they naturally eat more of what they need? I mean will the ones that are laying eat more protein and the ones that are younger eat more greens and what not?

 

[featherz]

None of the TSC's near me appear to have flock raiser in pellets - it does come in pellets, right? They waste so much food that I need to get them on pellets ASAP somehow.

Think it's ok to go on Layena at 16 weeks? Would rather keep them on flock raiser and already have the oyster shell, but I hate wasting all this food - and this is with a PVC feeder that was fine until they got bigger!

 

[WonderChicken]

Quote:
Although it is not a PVC feeder, the concept should work for any feeder. I added a piece of 1" x 1" hardware cloth over my feeder to keep the chicks from spilling it out everywhere and wasting alot of feed. This has worked like a charm. The hc piece actually fits under the tube but over the opening. I cut it to fit perfectly over and filed the edges to make sure no one gets cut. I have had this set up for a month now and no more waste problems. Might work for you ;o)