All Flock Higher Protein Feed vs. Layer Feed

[Apis mellifera]

For some time now I've been mixing a bag of flock raiser 20% with 2 bags of Nutrena feather fixer 18% (free ranging also) and have had very good results. Eggs, hens, and rooster look great.

 

[TooCheep]

I originally went with an 18% layer feed (Nutrena Naturewise Hearty Hen) for my layers, but I've found too many exceptions for layer feed. Don't use in winter when they stop laying. Don't use if you have any cockerels. What about if some are laying and some aren't? What if you have older hens that only rarely lay?

I finally decided to switch to Nutrena's 20% All Flock + side calcium and haven't looked back. You can feed it all year, to both sexes and even if some pullets are laying in winter while older hens take a break. At 20%, I'm not concerned about them eating greens when they free range and potentially diluting their protein intake. The only exception is needing grower crumble when I bring in new chicks until they are large enough to share the pellets.
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I've come to the conclusion that layer pellets are really designed to make factory egg production easier. They generally have the absolute minimum protein (16%) and you don't have to switch on/off the layer feed if you put them on it as soon as they start laying, keep them under artificial lighting through the winter and when they slow down/stop, they are dispatched. Backyard flocks have more complicated needs.

 

[K0k0shka]

The only exception is needing grower crumble when I bring in new chicks until they are large enough to share the pellets.

I get around this by feeding all flock crumble instead of pellets, so everybody can eat it. I have a zero waste feeder (waste is usually pointed out as the one advantage of pellets over crumble) so I really have no reason to use pellets.

 

[Unswydd]

I've used Klaumbach seed mix for the past year and have now switched to grower feed because of the pullets Mama hatched out. It seems to me from reading this thread I should keep them on grower feed. Correct? Or even all flock since I have a Rooster. I'm a bit confused I guess. Offering calcium? They get plenty of grit free ranging 2 to 3 hrs a day.

 

[Huntmaster]

I'm a bit confused I guess. Offering calcium? They get plenty of grit free ranging 2 to 3 hrs a day.

Grit is not calcium/oyster shell. Grit is rocks or granite to fill the gizzard to grind feed as they don't have teeth. All birds need grit to grind and digest feed. Calcium is usually a form of oystershells/eggshells and is needed to form eggshells. So, it is needed regularly for laying birds and not needed in such high % in non-laying birds

 

[Unswydd]

Grit is not calcium/oyster shell. Grit is rocks or granite to fill the gizzard to grind feed as they don't have teeth. All birds need grit to grind and digest feed. Calcium is usually a form of oystershells/eggshells and is needed to form eggshells. So, it is needed regularly for laying birds and not needed in such high % in non-laying birds

Yes, I do know that. Thank you. I used to have to offer egg shells ground small for thin egg shells but don't anymore and I believe it's the Klaumbach feed that's helping. In my post one was a question the other a statement.
I think I was wondering if I should be using all flock or grower feed.

 

[RoyalChick]

I feed Kalmbach Full Plume feathering feed.
It is 20% protein and has calcium. So basically it is a higher protein layer feed.
I use pellets mostly.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes, I do know that. Thank you. I used to have to offer egg shells ground small for thin egg shells but don't anymore and I believe it's the Klaumbach feed that's helping. In my post one was a question the other a statement.
I think I was wondering if I should be using all flock or grower feed.

Forget the branding/market segment - look at the guaranteed nutritional labels. In many cases, and with most brands, their "grower" and their "all flock" are substantially similar and near interchangeable. As many of us did during the pandemic.

But without comparing labels and considering goals, there is no blanket answer.

For instance, I'm almost always hatching chicks, and my "DP" birds are still mostly egg layers. So I favor a feed with high methionine levels and good P numbers to support my birds in their first months of growth. Eventually, I will hatch less frequently, and have birds with a little more mass on them (its the goal, anyways), their rate of lay is expected to drop because its not something my project is focused on. At that point, while the Met levels won't be unimportant, the Lysine levels will become more important to me. And I still want a good P number to support healthy bone growth and buffer against potential excess calcium.

No "one right answer". Lots of wrong ones. But in this case, generally,"grower" and "all flock" are likely almost functionally identical*. Then it comes down to price.

* "All Flock" feeds are theoretically supplimented with additional niacin for water fowl - thus the "all flock" - but since Niacin levels aren't published on many feed labels, that's an article of faith, not a guarantee.

 

[lagrange chicks]

I had been feeding a pellet layer and pellet all flock and the last few weeks it seemed like the chickens had slowed way done on feed consumption, so I needed feed and got a bag of layer pellet and 1 in crumble and now they dig for the crumble and scatter the pellets. It seems they like crumble much better than pellet. I need to find all flock in crumble I guess.

 

[Folly's place]

We buy Purina's Flock Raiser, an all flock feed that's (nearly) always fresh at the local TSC. We want to use it within two months of it's mill date, so vitamin levels are best. I too bought a chick starter a few times when it was best choice during supply chain issues.
Oyster shell and grit are out there in separate feeders, free choice for the birds in lay. We have older hens, roosters, and youngsters, so a layer feed is not best for all of them.
Pay attention to the mill date on each bag of feed, and buy fresh!
Pelleted feeds tend be be wasted less, but aren't good for chicks, and the FR only comes in crumble here, so it's what we use. Deeper dish feeders help with food waste, and we manage just fine.
Mary