Types of feed

[ed33935]

Could someone tell me the difference between layer feed and all flock food? We have a rooster and 5 hens. Since starting with them I have given good quality layer feed but recently switched to All flock feed due to a higher protein content. What is best for chickens that are still producing eggs? Is there any reason to feed both? Thanks in advance.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Could someone tell me the difference between layer feed and all flock food?

Look at the analysis tag on the bags. That gives you the percentages of various important components. Most will be pretty close. Protein could vary or be pretty close. I'd expect the protein on the Layer to be 16%, possibly 18%. All-Flock is probably 20% protein. Calcium in the Layer is going to be around 4% while the All-Flock will have about 1% calcium.

What is best for chickens that are still producing eggs? Is there any reason to feed both?

You can get so many different opinions on "best" it isn't close to funny. Some of those opinions can be pretty strong, even if different. I'll offer some of my opinions.

Laying hens need calcium for the eggshells. If all they eat is Layer, they will get enough calcium but if they get many treats or forage for much of their food they may be short on calcium. Most of us (not all) agree that Layer contains more calcium than is good for a rooster or non-laying chicken like one molting, broody, or a juvenile. All-Flock does not contain enough calcium for a hen's eggshells. The way a lot of us that have roosters or non-laying chickens in the flock handle this is to feed a low calcium feed like All-Flock and offer a calcium supplement like oyster shell on the side. The ones that need the calcium for their eggshells seem to eat enough oyster shell and the ones that don't need it for eggs might eat some but don't eat enough to harm themselves.

Some people believe you are abusing your chickens if you don't offer a fairly high percent protein feed. 20% protein is a level often stated. I'm quite happy to give mine a 16% protein low calcium feed and let them forage for a fair amount of what they eat.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Layer ration tends to be lower in protein, but some can be a bit higher than the typical 16%. Layer also has more calcium, and is formulated to be fed as the sole ration to actively laying hens.

All flock tends to be around 18-20% protein, has less calcium, and is formulated to be fed to adult birds of both sexes.

I personally feed an All Flock with an extra dish of oyster shells as it's a better fit for my flock.

 

[ed33935]

Look at the analysis tag on the bags. That gives you the percentages of various important components. Most will be pretty close. Protein could vary or be pretty close. I'd expect the protein on the Layer to be 16%, possibly 18%. All-Flock is probably 20% protein. Calcium in the Layer is going to be around 4% while the All-Flock will have about 1% calcium.


You can get so many different opinions on "best" it isn't close to funny. Some of those opinions can be pretty strong, even if different. I'll offer some of my opinions.

Laying hens need calcium for the eggshells. If all they eat is Layer, they will get enough calcium but if they get many treats or forage for much of their food they may be short on calcium. Most of us (not all) agree that Layer contains more calcium than is good for a rooster or non-laying chicken like one molting, broody, or a juvenile. All-Flock does not contain enough calcium for a hen's eggshells. The way a lot of us that have roosters or non-laying chickens in the flock handle this is to feed a low calcium feed like All-Flock and offer a calcium supplement like oyster shell on the side. The ones that need the calcium for their eggshells seem to eat enough oyster shell and the ones that don't need it for eggs might eat some but don't eat enough to harm themselves.

Some people believe you are abusing your chickens if you don't offer a fairly high percent protein feed. 20% protein is a level often stated. I'm quite happy to give mine a 16% protein low calcium feed and let them forage for a fair amount of what they eat.

So in my case with one rooster, and them not being free range, should I offer him his own feeder of the All flock? And the girls get layered feed?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So in my case with one rooster, and them not being free range, should I offer him his own feeder of the All flock? And the girls get layered feed?

For convenience, most BYCers offer an "All Flock" formulation to all their birds, free choice calcium (oyster shell, usually) when they have a mixed flock.

Me on Layer Feed.

Me on general recommends.

The only down side to feeding an All Flock is that it tends to be slightly more expensive (around $2 per 50# bag for a middle range feed), an you need a separate calcium source (less than $10/year for the typical small flock). The benefit is improved control over calcium uptake, shorter molts, slightly better disease resistance, a few other hard to measure metrics. Do not expect larger eggs or more frequent lay (it will happen, but without a high quality scale and very good records, you won't notice - its a couple of percent difference. A couple to a few extra eggs per year [2-6], maybe a gram heavier average egg weight).

The benefit to Layer is that its cheaper. and if you don't plan to keep the Roo long, and are only keeping production hens for a year or two before replacement, maybe you don't care that all that extra calcium isn't good for the Roo, or non-Production hens. That's a rational decision. I would not recommend it as a method if you are also raising new birds. Layer really is purpose built for one specific purpose and management method, with a small number of (popular) breeds and hybrids in mind.

Hope that helps.

but mostly, what @Ridgerunner said.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I hatched so much last year (10 broodys and 2 Bator) that I switched from All-Flock pellet to a Chick starter/grower crumbles (General recommended to me that I should feed whatever the youngest needs). All my birds seem to like it much more so I stuck with it as hatching season is fast approaching again.

Just my weigh in here.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I hatched so much last year (10 broodys and 2 Bator) that I switched from All-Flock pellet to a Chick starter/grower crumbles (General recommended to me that I should feed whatever the youngest needs). All my birds seem to like it much more so I stuck with it as hatching season is fast approaching again.

Just my weigh in here.

Plenty of us used Grower/Starter when we couldn't get All Flock during the Pandemic. If you compare nutritional labels they tend to be near identical. Nutrena Starter/Grower vs Nutrena All Flock as one of the common examples with greatest difference. 18%CP vs 20. 0.9% Lysine vs 0.8%. 0.36 Met vs 0.35. 1% Ca vs 1.7% Ca. More D3, and ProBiotics in the All Flock. The Purina equivalents are MUCH closer.

Primary (consistent) differences is that its generally easier to find a medicated Starter/Grower than it is to find a medicated All Flock and its generally easier to find a small bag of Starter/Grower than it is to find a small bag of All Flock.

If you ignore the merchandising, and just read the Guaranteed Nutritional Label and the Mill Date, you won't go wrong.

 

[rosemarythyme]

So in my case with one rooster, and them not being free range, should I offer him his own feeder of the All flock? And the girls get layered feed?

No reason for 2 feeds in this case. Unless the male is kept in a separate enclosure to prevent him eating the layer feed most likely the entire flock will opt to eat the all flock.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So in my case with one rooster, and them not being free range, should I offer him his own feeder of the All flock? And the girls get layered feed?

That doesn't work. They will all eat each other's feed. I'd just feed them all the All-Flock and offer oyster shells on the side. Keep it as simple as you can.

 

[K0k0shka]

I always have non-laying chickens in my flock, so I only feed all flock (20% protein) with calcium on the side. That way I don't have to worry about who eats what.