All-flock feed vs layer feed, and brands!

[Chris-09]

Ha! I was waiting for someone to point this out! It's rare, though, that they never eat anything else, like grass or bugs.

Not as rare as one might think.
Like many other people I know, my chicks and growing stock are not fed any "treats" their sole diet is their feed so there is no need for grit. My free range/ pasture raised birds have access to natural/ native soil so, they get all the grit they may need. Now my layers, breeder and show stock are the only birds that I offer supplemental grit to because they're in their pens 24/7 and I do offer a mixed grain supplement along with their feed.
If I wasn't offering a grain mix supplement to my layers, breeders and show stock then they wouldn't be getting a grit.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I use Kalmbach 20% flock maker. While I like Purina Flock Raiser, it is $3 more per bag here in PA. I now have a rooster, but I may be switching to Kalmbach layer pellets, because nothing else comes in pellets around here. By the way, I got Kalmbach FM for $21.76 yesterday. Even the Non GMO Kalmbach FM is cheaper than Purina which is $24.29 at the feed store.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I usually recommend that the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices feed an All Flock/Flock Raiser* type crumble to all their birds, all their lives, with free choice grit, oyster shell, and fresh clean water available at all times in seperate dishes. Without regard to age, gender, onset of of lay, condition of molt, etc.

*Essentially an 18-20% protein, 3.5% fat+/-, 1.5% calcium +/-, 3.5% fiber +/- feed, preferably with about .6% Phosphorus, at least .35% Methionine, and .7% Lysine.

Because its easy for you, and its good nutrition for them. Crumble because the chicks can easily eat it to, but if you have a mixed gender all adult flock, pellet is fine. If you ferment, pellet is fine.

All of my adult birds - chickens and ducks - get exactly the same feed, which happens to be 20% protein. I feed my youngsters a higher protein mix for their first 6-8 weeks (basically, until they join the adult flock) as I have facilites to separate the flocks. My reasons for that are complicated, its not something I recommend for everyone. But All Flock, all the time, for all the birds of all the genders is a safe and easy way to raise chickens, ducks, geese. Doing something different has limited benefits in limited conditions, and should only be considered after weighing all practical options.

My flock is in my Sig, below. You can see the results of me feed regimen here.

 

[Ccort]

Ok...I had already bought a bag of Kalmbach 16 percent Flock Maintainer. With the bag now in front of me, it says it's for mature mixed flocks. With my girls being 16 weeks, is that a safe and nutritious food for them? I didn't notice the word "mature" before.

 

[Ccort]

Also, I know Kalmbach food is recommended but it seems most recommend a 18 percent or higher protein value. However, this Kalmbach says 16. Obviously, I'm still a little confused here.

 

[Ccort]

I usually recommend that the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices feed an All Flock/Flock Raiser* type crumble to all their birds, all their lives, with free choice grit, oyster shell, and fresh clean water available at all times in seperate dishes. Without regard to age, gender, onset of of lay, condition of molt, etc.

*Essentially an 18-20% protein, 3.5% fat+/-, 1.5% calcium +/-, 3.5% fiber +/- feed, preferably with about .6% Phosphorus, at least .35% Methionine, and .7% Lysine.

Because its easy for you, and its good nutrition for them. Crumble because the chicks can easily eat it to, but if you have a mixed gender all adult flock, pellet is fine. If you ferment, pellet is fine.

All of my adult birds - chickens and ducks - get exactly the same feed, which happens to be 20% protein. I feed my youngsters a higher protein mix for their first 6-8 weeks (basically, until they join the adult flock) as I have facilites to separate the flocks. My reasons for that are complicated, its not something I recommend for everyone. But All Flock, all the time, for all the birds of all the genders is a safe and easy way to raise chickens, ducks, geese. Doing something different has limited benefits in limited conditions, and should only be considered after weighing all practical options.

My flock is in my Sig, below. You can see the results of me feed regimen here.

Mind sharing which brand/specific type you use?
Is a flock Maintainer the same as an all flock food? The Kalmbach bag I bought is 16 percent Flock Maintainer, which I now think is different from what I need.

 

[Ccort]

I am in the feed layer feed club.
If you spend a few weeks reading through the emergency section you will see 99% more threads related to hens having issues because they weren't fed enough calcium compared to a roosters having an issue because he ate too much calcium.

Roosters usually die a natural old age death way before you will ever have an issue with them eating too much calcium.

Can a laying hen have too much calcium? I'm not sure yet if I have a rooster.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Mind sharing which brand/specific type you use?
Is a flock Maintainer the same as an all flock food? The Kalmbach bag I bought is 16 percent Flock Maintainer, which I now think is different from what I need.

The feed I use I do not recommend, because I don't feed my flock in the way I recommend. Neither the size, the management, or the goals of my flock are "typical". Kalmbach's 16% Flock Maintainer is and adequate feed for an adult flock. It has approximately 1% avg Calcium so its not a problem for hatchlings or roosters, it has good fat levels and fiber isnt too high, disclosed vitamin levels are decent, Lysine is good, but not great, and Methionine is "typical", but not good (the importance of which declines as the flock ages - just hatched birds need the most, and their needs for Met and Lys lower with time). .7 / .3 Lys/Met were the recommends for adult layers for decades, as was the .5% phosphorus. More recent research favors higher numbers for hatchlings, for meat breeds (to support their fast growth) and for "dual purpose" birds, but the above levels aren't harmful. How much higher depends on breed, age, and purpose.

No need to rush to the store and replace it. As @Cindy in PA suggests above, the "Flock Maker" is the nutritionally superior product from Kalmbach.

and in either case, don't forget fresh water, grit, oyster shell in seperate dishes.

 

[Ccort]

The feed I use I do not recommend, because I don't feed my flock in the way I recommend. Neither the size, the management, or the goals of my flock are "typical". Kalmbach's 16% Flock Maintainer is and adequate feed for an adult flock. It has approximately 1% avg Calcium so its not a problem for hatchlings or roosters, it has good fat levels and fiber isnt too high, disclosed vitamin levels are decent, Lysine is good, but not great, and Methionine is "typical", but not good (the importance of which declines as the flock ages - just hatched birds need the most, and their needs for Met and Lys lower with time). .7 / .3 Lys/Met were the recommends for adult layers for decades, as was the .5% phosphorus. More recent research favors higher numbers for hatchlings, for meat breeds (to support their fast growth) and for "dual purpose" birds, but the above levels aren't harmful. How much higher depends on breed, age, and purpose.

No need to rush to the store and replace it. As @Cindy in PA suggests above, the "Flock Maker" is the nutritionally superior product from Kalmbach.

and in either case, don't forget fresh water, grit, oyster shell in seperate dishes.

Thank you. There's a lot more to chicken feed than I imagined. One more thing...mine aren't laying yet. Should I put out oyster shell anyways or wait until we're official layers?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Can a laying hen have too much calcium? I'm not sure yet if I have a rooster.

Yes, but the only way you will see those numbers is if the feed is miss-mixed at the factory, or if you look at really long term health concerns in layers who only infrequently lay eggs of small size. Who are more likely to die of other reasons than calcium toxicity anyways.