20% Turkey Grower for Layers?

[Hozer]

My layers are picking (and eating) each other's feathers pretty bad and I think they are about to molt, so I picked up a bag of turkey grower as that is the only thing locally available that is higher in protein.

I think they are about to molt because they have slowed their laying way down and are starting to drop feathers.

I am also occasionally supplementing them with dry cat fod.

They have free choice oyster shell.

I was thinking of blending the turker grower in with their layer feed so it doesn't shock them. Good or bad idea?

I am sure this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it in any search and gave up.

 

[onthespot]

I do it. I use Flock Raiser crumbles and mix it in with the Layena pellets. They seem to lay more when I mix it. Striaght Layena, not so great, at least for me. Layena + Flock Raiser, buku eggs!

 

[Hozer]

Thanks for the response. I thought I read somewhere here that the layer pellets were kind of comercial grade and more like the minnimum requirement. I'll have to come up with a plan to try mixing them 50-50.

For better or worse, my wife has been feeding them pizza as a treat that she gets free at work. It is meat pizza. I really can't complain...turning left over pizza into fresh eggs.

Like I said, I supplement them with dry cat food. They didn't know what to make of it at first, but now they scarf it up.

 

[sevenchickens]

I had a bag of flock raiser left over from raising our Thanksgiving dinner so through Jan-Feb I was mixing this into the hens Layer feed and I got a ton of eggs, this must be why. I never put 2 and 2 together. Thank you!!

 

[jerseygirl1]

I was using Flock Raiser mixed with layer food, and when the cold weather was gone, the laying stopped and I know now that it was because I also stopped the Flock Raiser, thinking once the weather was better, they didn't need it. Now I know better.

 

[pardenx3]

Quote:
What about ferret food? could that be supplemented during moulting? It generaly has a much higher protien level than cat food due to a ferrets nutrional needs.

 

[flockof4]

Hi Hozer from Homer, there are lots of different opinions about how best to give chickens some extra protein. I give mine some crushed up high quality cat food once or twice a week (like you were saying) and they love it. But I read on here that cat food can be hard on their kidneys. But adding the Flock Raiser with some layer pellets sounds like a good bet. Not sure about ferret food.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
What about ferret food? could that be supplemented during moulting? It generaly has a much higher protien level than cat food due to a ferrets nutrional needs.

If I remember correctly ferret food is just about the same as cat food but with less salt, if it is you should be fine...

Chris

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
I had never thought of that...is it because it has more protein in it? so during the winter months I could use that and be ok? Thanks so much.

 

[pardenx3]

Quote:
What about ferret food? could that be supplemented during moulting? It generaly has a much higher protien level than cat food due to a ferrets nutrional needs.

If I remember correctly ferret food is just about the same as cat food but with less salt, if it is you should be fine...

Chris

Its WAY higher in protien, and WAY lower in fiber. I don't know if low fiber would be a good thing, bad thing or indifferent.