Fat and Fiber Levels in Feed

[thecatumbrella]

Do you have a freezer or freezing weather? You could get gallon freezer bags and load 'em up, then put in your freezer, or here, outside in a cooler or sealed in a tote works for temporarily.

Holy shnickies, your right! They ARE running that sale. See ya, I'm off to Chewy!

Those are awesome ideas, but we are having such a mouse problem right now that I don't dare. We literally have to keep a mouse trap in the engine compartment of our car, and we just started catching them IN my hardware-clothed, winter paneled chicken run.

We do have a chest freezer, but of course it's full for the upcoming holidays.

 

[NatJ]

I don't get why they make layer crumbles then if this is good enough for them, with a side of oyster shells that is.

If someone has large numbers of hens in cages, wants the cheapest possible feed that will keep them alive and laying, and does not want to fuss with separate dishes of oyster shell, then layer feed is probably a good choice for them.

That is a good reason for companies to produce layer feed. Then they bag it up with a nice label, and put it in stores, and people buy it (because it says "layer," so it must be right for laying hens, right?)

And for the people who don't do any research and just grab a bag, it probably IS the best choice for laying hens. (Because it is far better than a diet of just scratch, and it is also better than the calcium deficiency that would happen if they fed a low-calcium feed without providing oyster shell.)

(I am not claiming that layer feed is best in all cases. It definitely is not. But I do see reasons for some people to use it, and for companies to keep making it.)

 

[thecatumbrella]

(I am not claiming that layer feed is best in all cases. It definitely is not. But I do see reasons for some people to use it, and for companies to keep making it.)

This is completely anecdotal, but my production red was GUZZLING oyster shell until I offered layer feed. May be a coincidence, or maybe the extra calcium in the feed helped even her out? Hard to say.

 

[Debbie292d]

Those are awesome ideas, but we are having such a mouse problem right now that I don't dare. We literally have to keep a mouse trap in the engine compartment of our car, and we just started catching them IN my hardware-clothed, winter paneled chicken run.

We do have a chest freezer, but of course it's full for the upcoming holidays.

A few months ago we picked up an additional cat from the Humane Society for free as she was considered a barn cat. This morning I saw she left us a chopped-up mouse on the deck. I guess she didn't get the memo to leave them whole and in the yard and the chickens will snag them. Can you get one or two? That would make a HUGE impact if not eradicate them.

 

[thecatumbrella]

A few months ago we picked up an additional cat from the Humane Society for free as she was considered a barn cat. This morning I saw she left us a chopped-up mouse on the deck. I guess she didn't get the memo to leave them whole and in the yard and the chickens will snag them. Can you get one or two? That would make a HUGE impact if not eradicate them.

That would be amazing! We have a lot of neighborhood cats, but they're more interested in pooping in the flower beds than hunting mice. Something to look into for sure.