Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: crazy coop on August 03, 2010, 10:26
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Hi need a bit of advice.I have a two month old brahma x rir called pepper and a two month old salmon favourelle named honey.I have had pepper scince she was a day old totally unexpected but thats a different story.I have raised them on chick crumb till six weeks then told by a friend to move them onto garden free range mix containing layers pellets shell corn etc.They are not enjoying this and wondered if i have done the wrong thing.Should they be on growers pellets or layers mash don`t want my girls getting ill cos i have fed them wrong.Also any advice on treats that wont make them fat.
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They shouldn't be on layers at 8 weeks. It can make the bones too hard as it has the extra calcium added for egg laying.
Ideally they should be on growers, but if you can't get hold of any they can stay on chick crumb until POL at 16 to 18 weeks.
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agree totally with Casey on this one first chick crumb then a gradual introduction onto growers/rearers depending on what brand you are using and then a gradual introduction onto layers. The key to this is the gradual bit - mix a little bit of the next stage in with their feed and gradually increase this amount until they are on just the next stage. Garden free range usually includes layers, mixed corn and split peas - but it really is best to feed them when adults on layers all day and just a little treat of mixed corn or other treat about an hour before bedtime. Mixed corn does not contain much in the way of vitamins and minerals.
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Thanks to you both nice to have a down to earth reply that makes sense!You get so many contradictions will adjust feeding plan.taa x
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The trouble with mixed foods like garden free range is that your two hens will pick the tastiest pieces out and leave the rest where a large competative flock would hoover the lot up immediately .
As the others have said give them just pellets during the day with a little grain before they go to roost.
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Yes these guys have said it all. Keep nutrition simple and don't use speciality feeds which cost a lot and aren't as suitable as straight layers. Use pellets not mash for a backgarden flock as this will make your life a lot easier. Mash is for large comercial flocks and needs to be fed at set feed times not used adlib. Chx will eat proportional to their weight and needs so having feed available constantly won't cause them to over eat. Over feeding treats and particularly high energy dense processed food like pasta will, so just a handful in the evening.
HF