What to feed chickens to lay more eggs.

[mamatink7]

So, your saying to turn on about 5pm-8am? It gets dark here about the same time as you about 4:30-5 & light out in am about 7:30. Do you also have the light on in the coop for heat? What watt is your bulb? I'm afraid one morning I might wake up to frozen chickens? My coop is 10'7 I have a bale of hay in there with lots of shavings.... but it's still cold in there for my babies. Any more suggestions?

NO. You put it on a timer. They need to sleep. You have light on before sun up (when normal daylight during spring) till it's bright enough in coop or outside, then turn on again in evening from sun down for couple hrs till they settle on perches.
Give them a few hrs extra light with a timer lights in coop. They need total 14-16hrs of natural/ timer light per day. Then they have 10-12hrs of rest time a day.
How old are your chickens? Are they fully feathered? Until fully feathered, need to be in broody box with heat lamp. That's usually 8wks in the winter time

 

[mamatink7]

Set light to turn on around 5:30 or 6am and off at 8 am. By then the sun will be up and you won't need to provide light. Then set it to turn back on at 4pm and off again around 7:30 or 8pm. The birds will have been exposed to light for a total of 14 hours.

THANK YOU!! I was trying to say this but I guess was little confusing.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

sorry for responding now as its yrs later...do you add oyster shell and omega 3 to the game feed? What's the protein% and calcium %? Ours is 27% and our pullets nearly all stopped, we have high production girls who haven't laid in a wk or more now!

Cessation of laying as days are near their shortest is very common and not a cause of concern. Don't change up your feeding regimen.
27% is too high for chickens. Higher protein (18-20%) is helpful when going through molt. But 27% protein is a waste, ends up in the bedding as ammonia and needs to be processed by the liver which can lead to articular gout.
One shouldn't add oyster shell to feed. It needs to be in a separate container so they can choose it as needed. And since yours aren't laying, they don't need it.

I'm a newbie... I'm hearing you need 16% feed & so much lighting in the winter for your chickens to lay eggs. I have 2 hens 1 rooster. (Long Island Reds) From day one I mixed 16% layer feed & some bird mix. & now with the cold weather I give them along with there mix... warm oatmeal & scrambled eggs. They love them. I get about 2-3 eggs every couple days or so. They do not have any light in the coop. But I think I should put one in there from 8am-4pm. I love this site to hear the people's comments & look at the coops & chicken runs. It gives me some good ideas for my next project for this coming summer.

Rhode Island Reds.
If you're speaking of bird seed, it is ok to give some but the protein is very low so when you mix it with feed, your end result is 14 or 15% protein. Chicken feed is complete nutritionally. While eggs and oatmeal are good foods, addting too many things that prevent them from eating most of their intake as complete nutrition, can be problematic.
Your birds are young and like most breeds will lay right through their first autumn and winter. Next fall, expect a molt and cessation of lay till they grow a new winter coat. That will happen every year and the winter break will be longer each subsequent year.
You need more hens. 2 isn't enough for 1 rooster and they may lose back feathers as he overmates them.

So, your saying to turn on about 5pm-8am? It gets dark here about the same time as you about 4:30-5 & light out in am about 7:30. Do you also have the light on in the coop for heat? What watt is your bulb? I'm afraid one morning I might wake up to frozen chickens? My coop is 10'7 I have a bale of hay in there with lots of shavings.... but it's still cold in there for my babies. Any more suggestions?

It would be cold for you if you didn't have heavy clothes on. Chickens go to bed wearing their down winter coat, not pajamas. They don't need heat of any kind.

THANK YOU!! I was trying to say this but I guess was little confusing.

I find 12-13 hours of light to be adequate when increasing from 9-10 hours of ambient light.

 

[mamatink7]

Cessation of laying as days are near their shortest is very common and not a cause of concern. Don't change up your feeding regimen.
27% is too high for chickens. Higher protein (18-20%) is helpful when going through molt. But 27% protein is a waste, ends up in the bedding as ammonia and needs to be processed by the liver which can lead to articular gout.
One shouldn't add oyster shell to feed. It needs to be in a separate container so they can choose it as needed. And since yours aren't laying, they don't need it.
thank you. I was worried about the 27% protein as well. How much protein would be best during winter for layers?even though they are layers and have laid, shouldn't they still get the shells? The other feed I put together is almost out (27% flock and 16% layer feed mixed). We put out a light on a timer and have a heat lamp IF needed for 15minutes with temps under ten.

Rhode Island Reds.
If you're speaking of bird seed, it is ok to give some but the protein is very low so when you mix it with feed, your end result is 14 or 15% protein. Chicken feed is complete nutritionally. While eggs and oatmeal are good foods, addting too many things that prevent them from eating most of their intake as complete nutrition, can be problematic.
Your birds are young and like most breeds will lay right through their first autumn and winter. Next fall, expect a molt and cessation of lay till they grow a new winter coat. That will happen every year and the winter break will be longer each subsequent year.
You need more hens. 2 isn't enough for 1 rooster and they may lose back feathers as he overmates them.

It would be cold for you if you didn't have heavy clothes on. Chickens go to bed wearing their down winter coat, not pajamas. They don't need heat of any kind.

I find 12-13 hours of light to be adequate when increasing from 9-10 hours of ambient light.

 

[BeckySK]

Along with my 16% layer mix & bird seed I do mix in Oyster Shells & cracked corn. I'm trying to find more things to give them? I give them 1 scoop in the morning & 1 in the evening. I wanted to start with a low # of chickens to start with because I didn't know how this was going to turn out.I got the mother & her babies this June. I hoped they were all hens but... now we have "gentle" BEN..... yes he is a very nice rooster!

Now I'm all in & trying to find out everything I need to know about my babies! So, I'm very thankful for everyone's help & anyway I can get it. This is greatly appreciated!

 

[junebuggena]

Along with my 16% layer mix & bird seed I do mix in Oyster Shells & cracked corn. I'm trying to find more things to give them? I give them 1 scoop in the morning & 1 in the evening. I wanted to start with a low # of chickens to start with because I didn't know how this was going to turn out.I got the mother & her babies this June. I hoped they were all hens but... now we have "gentle" BEN..... yes he is a very nice rooster!

Now I'm all in & trying to find out everything I need to know about my babies! So, I'm very thankful for everyone's help & anyway I can get it. This is greatly appreciated!

Bird seed and cracked corn can lower the overall protein content to the point where they can't produce eggs. Remember, egg whites are mostly protein, and it has to come from somewhere. Either stop with the extras and only give feed or switch to a higher protein feed to offset the seed and corn. Also, if you have roosters and younger birds in the flock, layer feed should not be given. The high calcium levels can be very damaging to internal organs.

 

[BeckySK]

How old do they have to be before giving them layer feed? Should I switch them back to their starter food? But then wouldn't the mother be lacking something also? (If I switch them over to starter) & what else do I give them just oyster shells? Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

How old do they have to be before giving them layer feed? Should I switch them back to their starter food? But then wouldn't the mother be lacking something also? (If I switch them over to starter) & what else do I give them just oyster shells? Thanks!

Layer feed should only ever be fed if the whole flock is laying. There is no magic ingredient in it. It's just normal feed with less protein and a whole lot more calcium. Unmedicated starter is safe to feed for the entire lifetime. The only thing layers need, in addition to complete feed, is a source of calcium. It's much simpler to buy and dish out one feed that is safe for everybody and set out some crushed oyster shell separately for those that need it.

 

[mamatink7]

Found our local feed finally!! 16%layer and 7%soybean meal. Mixing 12oz bean meal to 6qt feed.
Do I add oyster shell in or on the side??

 

[junebuggena]

Found our local feed finally!! 16%layer and 7%soybean meal. Mixing 12oz bean meal to 6qt feed.
Do I add oyster shell in or on the side??

Oyster shell should always be separate. Layer feed should have more than enough calcium in it already.