Feed for Layers

[Ang87]

We have 3 laying hens (Silkie, Golden Wyandotte, and Naked Neck) and one Americauna that has a month or so before she begins laying.

I know this is a great debate among chicken owners, so let’s go this route:

What has been YOUR personal best experience with pellets vs crumbles, brands, percentages, and a little feedback on what had you settle on the feed you did.

We’re all here all here for the same reasons, and if our chickens are all alive we can be sure we’re doing something right I just go to Tractor Supply and make my best guess. Looking for some dialog on others experiences. Tired of depending on Google

Side note, does anyone grow or breed anything specific for yummy treats? What and why?

 

[Michael Propst]

Everyone has their own preferences for sure and I know many people are critical of whole grain based feeds I personally try to stay away from the heavily processed feeds like crumble or pellets. I have been using feeds from Scratch and Peck since I have had my flock. I have been fermenting it now for the past 6 months and the girls love it. I have use their layer for my laying girls. I have 5 new ones that are 4 weeks old and on the starter will move them to grower at 8 weeks. Scratch and Peck can get expensive but you can save allot on their feed if you have a Azure Standard drop location nearby they carry all lines of Scratch and Peck Feeds

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

Since I always have birds at different life stages and most are dual purpose I feed Purina flock raiser 20% protein with oyster shell on the side for layers. Dual purpose birds will do better with more protein than the standard 16% that is the MINIMUM meant to support a light bodied layer like leghorn. I don't aim for minimums. Its also readily available at a price I can accept ($17/50#), and with a fresh mill date. It is a happy medium for my flock. The more protein also helps them get through molt easier and faster.

Unlike the person who doesn't feed processed feed... I have seen too many incidence where the birds can pick what they want out of the more whole grain type feeds and end up with fatty liver syndrome because lets face it we all like the yummy stuff and leave behind the healthier options. Of course that won't happen to everyone. But I like my minerals and such mixed in the feed instead of hanging on the bottom of the bag.

I used to ferment exclusively for about 2 years... Too much work for my size flock, exaggerated savings by most people, and no serious increase or decrease in my flock overall health or appearance. People always talk about what goes up in the mix, but never really talk about what went down or changes that... WAS ALREADY formulated to meet the chickens needs.

To me, all your girls except the Silkie are dual purpose. And if she goes broody all the time, I wouldn't want her on layer... since the calcium *could* be too much and cause kidney issues long term to birds not in lay. Also Silkies have so much feathers and they are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids, so I still feed them flock raiser. Crumbles or pellets is just a term to describe the shape of the feed. You may not be able to get one or the other, depending on which feed you are looking at. Younger birds like chicks need crumble. You can switch to pellets if you and your birds like, some people find less waste that with pellets. The crumbles do have a bit of feed dust in them. It still get's eaten but I might consider fermenting it as a treat.

Starter, grower, layer, all flock... confusing terms that describe different protein and calcium levels for the most part. I like 18-20% protein with OS on the side.

I really like to sprout or fodder depending on season for my birds. I have great luck sprouting barley. But there are lots of options. I also grow live meal worm and have done red wigglers in a composting bin in the past! It's not warm enough here for black soldier fly larva, but those might be a faster turn around than live meal worms... which is a very slow process. I keep them on wheat bran. Good protein but high fat always mind the 10% treat rule to avoid health issues.

Good luck. Your flock sounds lovely.

 

[GC-Raptor]

18% layers pellet feed.
Mixed bird seed as a treat scattered around the pen.
Up to an hour of free range time before sunset daily, weather permitting, for their greens and bugs. GC

 

[PirateGirl]

I like to sprout or ferment whole grain feed from serenitysprouts.com sometimes (it seems to work better in summer when it's warmer).

Primarily I feed all flock or flock raiser 18%-20%. I have chickens and ducks including a drake and they aren't always laying all at the same time. One may be broody, one may be in molt, one may be younger, one may have cut back for winter, etc. This seems like the easiest one size fits all feed for my flock. I feed oyster shell on the side and feed their own eggshells back to them. I change my feed depending what feed store I'm at and pick the best thing based on what they have in stock and based on the dates on the bags of what is in stock. My ducks seem to do better with crumbles and the chickens make less mess of pellets, again, I get what's in stock. For me, the Purina mill is a local mill, about an hour and a half from my house, so even though they are a large company, I feel the food is fresh and I am supporting a local business that provides our state with lots of jobs.

 

[Chickassan]

My layers are eating pellets but they've had every stinking pellet offerd but they only like henny penny pellets which is fine they're surprisingly cheap.

 

[Ang87]

Ah. I’m getting a lot of insight. Thank you all, and I hope they keep coming! I recently listened to someone explaining to me that crumbles (in the crumble/pellet world) were essential for layers. In my mind, crumbles 1. are wasted faster 2. make a slushy mess when it storms 3. are the same as the pellets but a lot of the nutrition is dust.

Now, sometimes I see “added omega” or “added oyster” and such. Is this a selling point, or is there significant qualities added to be sufficient for the price difference? I’m thinking whatever “extra” they advertise would be better on the side, such as much of you are doing with the oyster shell.

Thoughts?

 

[Ang87]

Hi.

Since I always have birds at different life stages and most are dual purpose I feed Purina flock raiser 20% protein with oyster shell on the side for layers. Dual purpose birds will do better with more protein than the standard 16% that is the MINIMUM meant to support a light bodied layer like leghorn. I don't aim for minimums. Its also readily available at a price I can accept ($17/50#), and with a fresh mill date. It is a happy medium for my flock. The more protein also helps them get through molt easier and faster.

Unlike the person who doesn't feed processed feed... I have seen too many incidence where the birds can pick what they want out of the more whole grain type feeds and end up with fatty liver syndrome because lets face it we all like the yummy stuff and leave behind the healthier options. Of course that won't happen to everyone. But I like my minerals and such mixed in the feed instead of hanging on the bottom of the bag.

I used to ferment exclusively for about 2 years... Too much work for my size flock, exaggerated savings by most people, and no serious increase or decrease in my flock overall health or appearance. People always talk about what goes up in the mix, but never really talk about what went down or changes that... WAS ALREADY formulated to meet the chickens needs.

To me, all your girls except the Silkie are dual purpose. And if she goes broody all the time, I wouldn't want her on layer... since the calcium *could* be too much and cause kidney issues long term to birds not in lay. Also Silkies have so much feathers and they are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids, so I still feed them flock raiser. Crumbles or pellets is just a term to describe the shape of the feed. You may not be able to get one or the other, depending on which feed you are looking at. Younger birds like chicks need crumble. You can switch to pellets if you and your birds like, some people find less waste that with pellets. The crumbles do have a bit of feed dust in them. It still get's eaten but I might consider fermenting it as a treat.

Starter, grower, layer, all flock... confusing terms that describe different protein and calcium levels for the most part. I like 18-20% protein with OS on the side.

I really like to sprout or fodder depending on season for my birds. I have great luck sprouting barley. But there are lots of options. I also grow live meal worm and have done red wigglers in a composting bin in the past! It's not warm enough here for black soldier fly larva, but those might be a faster turn around than live meal worms... which is a very slow process. I keep them on wheat bran. Good protein but high fat always mind the 10% treat rule to avoid health issues.

Good luck. Your flock sounds lovely.

In regards to the Silkie, she lays about a month out of the year and then goes all broody. I have a family member that’s sure she’s dying all the time. I take her out of the coop daily and make her walk around.(I just think it’s goo for her seeing as she has no rooster)

You have a good point with the picking and choosing. I have witnessed this myself with one brand of feed I've tried. My just not be for my flock.

I always try and have growing herbs around for them and have seen the sprouts. In the making of a cover for them to not get scratched to death right away LOL

This was a very informative and relaxing read. Thank you.

 

[Chickassan]

Gimmicks! Pure gimmicks! Don't buy the bologna..."its expensive".

Ah. I’m getting a lot of insight. Thank you all, and I hope they keep coming! I recently listened to someone explaining to me that crumbles (in the crumble/pellet world) were essential for layers. In my mind, crumbles 1. are wasted faster 2. make a slushy mess when it storms 3. are the same as the pellets but a lot of the nutrition is dust.

Now, sometimes I see “added omega” or “added oyster” and such. Is this a selling point, or is there significant qualities added to be sufficient for the price difference? I’m thinking whatever “extra” they advertise would be better on the side, such as much of you are doing with the oyster shell.

Thoughts?

 

[Ang87]

Gimmicks! Pure gimmicks! Don't buy the bologna..."its expensive".

BOLOGNA! I knew it! lol thanks