The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 10, 2011, 08:19:56 am

Title: problem with feeding growers
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 10, 2011, 08:19:56 am
Hi Gang,

          as my birds free range I find that first thing in the morning they all rotatate round to each others coops and have breakfast at their neighbours. This means that the adults wade into the growers run and eat all their pellets and the youngsters end up in the empty adults pen eating the layers ration.

I have tried a number of ways to prevent this such as wedging the growers door open just wide enough for them to slip in and not the adults, putting the growers pelets in their coop so the adults cant see it and keeping the growers in for a bit in the mornings to fill up on feed. Whatever I try the adults demolish any chick crum or growers pellets that they find by the end of the day.

          If I feed everyone growers until the youngsters are old enough to eat layers will this be sufficient for the laying hens ?


Buffy 
Title: Re: problem with feeding growers
Post by: Rich/Jan on September 10, 2011, 09:53:25 am
Hi - I think you will find the growers pellets are higher protein than the layers pellets and consequently they prefer the taste.  Cant see that it will harm the adult birds but I think it might be a tad more expensive if you feed them all on that.  Pity you cant keep the adults in until the growers have finished - but if they are leaving food then perhaps you are giving them too much - as they are free-ranging they are also getting other stuff from insects etc - so cut down their rations and see what happens.  Best of luck.  Jan
Title: Re: problem with feeding growers
Post by: jaykay on September 10, 2011, 10:02:40 am
I do tend to pen my actual chicks separately til they're about 8-10 weeks old, while they're getting chick crumbs (and so is mum). After that all mine eat layers, I've never fed growers, for just the reason you're describing.
Title: Re: problem with feeding growers
Post by: violet on September 10, 2011, 06:25:15 pm
I do tend to pen my actual chicks separately til they're about 8-10 weeks old, while they're getting chick crumbs (and so is mum). After that all mine eat layers, I've never fed growers, for just the reason you're describing.

I do the same.
I also rotate which house I open first in the morning, so they all get a chance to eat first. I feed away from the houses/coops. I find that one house all the top hens live in and ( if you're a chicken) this is the house to aspire being in..............and my growers will try to move in if they can. Having said that some just don't care and are happy with the house they're in. It's chicken hierarchy I guess ::)
Title: Re: problem with feeding growers
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 11, 2011, 11:51:40 am
Thanks for that Jan and Violet,

                                my incubator chicks stay seperate until 8 weeks, its the period after that which makes it tricky. I try and supply crum to the  occasional chick hatched by a broody but this is tricky too so I tend to give mum and baby a bit of time to fill up before I let them out but this is not possible when Im dashing out for work. Sounds like the answer is feed them all layers or feed them all growers and hope for the best :-\

Buffy
Title: Re: problem with feeding growers
Post by: violet on September 11, 2011, 01:48:26 pm
Hi Buffy,

I incubate most of mine too. But I have a few 'wild' hens who insist on brooding and I let them 1. because they give me no choise & 2. because their off-spring become great broodies too & they are useful to have around.

If they've nested far enough away from the houses in the bushes somewhere it's pretty easy to sneak them some crumb without the others seeing. But those nearer to home do cause a problem. I use bruised barley - as I buy this anyhow for the pigs. Most of the hens turn their beaks up at it 'cos it's not whole grain! I mix this with the ordinary feed , mum will do her best to see off any competitors and they get used to eating it & layers much sooner than the incubated chicks. porrige oats or oatmeal should do as well.They not only survive but thrive! They'll be fine  :)