When to stop feeding eggs

[arazla]

We adopted 11 chicks around 4 weeks old from a farmer who said that her electricity had gone out the night before and they had gotten a chill. Several were weak and sickly and it was suggested to feed them an egg a day. With a lot of care, they all survived and seem happy, but we now have 8 because we gave 3 away. My boyfriend really took this egg feeding thing to heart and has been giving them 2 hard boiled eggs daily now for a while. I'm not loving the math of giving 2 eggs to 8 chickens (5-6 hens, we're not sure yet about one) who may lay 3-5 eggs a day down the road. I'm trying to talk him out of this, but he sees them more as our pets, rather than livestock, and is concerned that they're not getting whole sources of protein in their starter. I saw something about "meat scraps" being fed in the old days and wondered what that might include. They do get outside now for most of the day, but don't seem to be especially adept foragers. We've literally handed them earthworms and they pick them up and toss them to the side. We've given them sticks full of ants and while a couple may try them, the rest seem baffled. They do love to chase flying bugs, but not sure they catch any. Could we be giving them too many eggs and they just don't have motivation to eat insects etc? Is there a certain age when they should getting eggs too often? Thanks so much.

 

[NatJ]

The eggs should not cause any harm, but are not necessary either.

I saw something about "meat scraps" being fed in the old days and wondered what that might include.

From what I've read, "meat scrap" was literal scraps of meat from a butcher, cooked until it was dry and shelf-stable, and sold as an ingredient for animal feed.

They do get outside now for most of the day, but don't seem to be especially adept foragers. We've literally handed them earthworms and they pick them up and toss them to the side. We've given them sticks full of ants and while a couple may try them, the rest seem baffled. They do love to chase flying bugs, but not sure they catch any. Could we be giving them too many eggs and they just don't have motivation to eat insects etc?

Chicks can be funny about what they want to eat and what they do not want to eat. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

...not getting whole sources of protein in their starter.

If it is a typical chick starter, it really does contain everything the chicks need. Just like vegetarian people can get enough protein from certain combinations of plants, chickens can also get enough protein from certain combinations of plants. The feed company figures out a combination that works, based on what ingredients they have available, and using research on what chickens need. They usually do a pretty good job.

(About the chick starter containing everything they need: it is possible but rare to get a bad bag of starter, either because they had a glitch in manufacturing, or because it was stored wrong and got wet or moldy or something of the sort. But that is pretty rare, so it is usually not worth worrying about. If you see problems, that is when it makes sense to double-check the feed along with everything else.)

 

[arazla]

Thanks for your very thorough answer. That's helpful to know. I forgot to say that he also adds nutritional yeast to their eggs and gives them dried grubs here and there. They weren't eating the grubs much, but I think they're finally taking to them. So maybe I can get him to wean them off the eggs soon. I think these chicks are having a pretty good life lol.

 

[NatJ]

Thanks for your very thorough answer. That's helpful to know. I forgot to say that he also adds nutritional yeast to their eggs and gives them dried grubs here and there. They weren't eating the grubs much, but I think they're finally taking to them. So maybe I can get him to wean them off the eggs soon. I think these chicks are having a pretty good life lol.

Eggs might be cheaper than the dried grubs-- I suggest you check, before deciding how much fuss to make about the eggs

If you just want a little treat or supplement for the chickens, a smaller amount of egg might be a sensible change (like one egg instead of two, or an egg on alternate eggs instead of every day, or something like that.)

 

[Ridgerunner]

They weren't eating the grubs much, but I think they're finally taking to them.

Exactly. You will see a lot of stories on here where someone says their chickens won't eat something that is supposed to be a great treat. I probably see it most with cabbage but it could be anything, even mealworms. I toss stuff to them from my garden. Sometimes they eat it like it is ice cream on a hot day, sometimes they ignore it.

A story. One time I gathered a cup of corn ear worms when I was harvesting corn for canning. I had a group of 10-week-old chicks free ranging. I dumped that can or worms in a pile near them. That group of chicks slowly and carefully moved toward those worms. Step by step, inch by inch they got closer and closer. A worm wiggled. Run away! Run away! But they didn't run far. Prety soon they were apporaching those worms. Step by step, inch by inch they got closer and closer. A worm wiggled. Run away! Run away! This repeated three or four times until a brave young cockerel got close enough and courageously ate one. Oh, my hero! My hero! Within a few seconds that pile of worms was gone. All it took was for one to show the way.

Be patient. Offer them the various things. They may take to whatever it is immediately or it may take a while. They may never like it. Each chicken is an individual and each flock has its own dynamics. Yours are still chicks if I read this right. And they are such fun to watch.

NatJ is correct, they don't have to have the additional treats. As long as they don't get ridiculous amounts it will not hurt them, just offer them in moderation. Many of us offer extra stuff even when they don't need it, including me. In my opinion that's mostly for our benefit, we like to think we are helping them.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for your very thorough answer. That's helpful to know. I forgot to say that he also adds nutritional yeast to their eggs and gives them dried grubs here and there. They weren't eating the grubs much, but I think they're finally taking to them. So maybe I can get him to wean them off the eggs soon. I think these chicks are having a pretty good life lol.

Not feeding them a balanced diet will cause problems soon and you will end up with sick and dead young hens.

Feeding treats daily in large amounts, which means more than one tablespoon worth per ADULT bird, will cause problems like these:


https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...e/fatty-liver-hemorrhagic-syndrome-in-poultry

And worse than are thng like these, where the poor birds suffer to death:

1. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...eproductive-system/egg-peritonitis-in-poultry

2. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...tem/egg-bound-or-impacted-oviducts-in-poultry


Feed them an age appropriate commercially made crumble or pelleted feed and you will birds will be healthier and happier.

 

[Coops Dad]

My wife's grandma used to COOK FOR HER CHICKENS. Yes- as in rice, beans, fish scraps. I dipped some white rice out of a pot once and was almost invited out of the family because I was "stealing the chicken rice". Nothing could convince her that commercial layer feed was sufficient. OTOH, the chickens were prolific layers and lived long, productive lives; res ipsa loquitur.

Our chickens get everything from our fridge cleanouts, leftovers, cooked meat scraps from deer and hogs plus whatever else comes up. Their main source of calories is Producer's Pride Layer feed from TSC, though.

 

[K0k0shka]

Young chicks are picky eaters, like young kids. They approach anything new with suspicion. Especially if they are not raised by other chickens, but by people. So people are often confused when their chicks refuse treats that the people know chickens are supposed to love - and they will love, in time. They just need to get used to that first. If they are with a hen in the flock, they'd watch the flock eat things and copy, the hen would show and teach them what to eat and they'd eat it with a lot less hesitation. But when raised by people, they don't have anybody modeling the behavior so it's harder for them to catch on.

I agree with the others - if you are feeding them chick starter that's around 20% protein, they don't need anything else. Anything extra is just for fun. You can definitely scale back on the treats and leave them as a special bonding experience, if he wants to feed them by hand to socialize. They don't need it for sustenance.

 

[arazla]

The eggs should not cause any harm, but are not necessary either.


From what I've read, "meat scrap" was literal scraps of meat from a butcher, cooked until it was dry and shelf-stable, and sold as an ingredient for animal feed.


Chicks can be funny about what they want to eat and what they do not want to eat. I wouldn't worry too much about it.


If it is a typical chick starter, it really does contain everything the chicks need. Just like vegetarian people can get enough protein from certain combinations of plants, chickens can also get enough protein from certain combinations of plants. The feed company figures out a combination that works, based on what ingredients they have available, and using research on what chickens need. They usually do a pretty good job.

(About the chick starter containing everything they need: it is possible but rare to get a bad bag of starter, either because they had a glitch in manufacturing, or because it was stored wrong and got wet or moldy or something of the sort. But that is pretty rare, so it is usually not worth worrying about. If you see problems, that is when it makes sense to double-check the feed along with everything else.)

That's interesting about meat scraps. When you say dry and stable, would that be like beef Jerkey? Seems to be some disagreement as to whether vegetarians can get enough b12 without eating meat or taking supplements, but I suppose that's another topic I think my boyfriend's concern is that the dry feed only has 3 main ingredients which seems limited when you think about what most birds eat naturally.

 

[arazla]

My wife's grandma used to COOK FOR HER CHICKENS. Yes- as in rice, beans, fish scraps. I dipped some white rice out of a pot once and was almost invited out of the family because I was "stealing the chicken rice". Nothing could convince her that commercial layer feed was sufficient. OTOH, the chickens were prolific layers and lived long, productive lives; res ipsa loquitur.

Our chickens get everything from our fridge cleanouts, leftovers, cooked meat scraps from deer and hogs plus whatever else comes up. Their main source of calories is Producer's Pride Layer feed from TSC, though.

I've watched some videos where people swear by the rice and beans. Seems their hens stopped laying early with regular feed and started laying again when they were given rice or pasta and beans again. Technically it's a complete protein I suppose.