Your thoughts - Warms treat BEFORE or AFTER they lay eggs?

[AllChookUp]

During the recent sub-zero weather here in MN, I have been taking my hens a warm snack of oatmeal to counteract the temps on their systems. I have been getting out there mid-morning, about when some of them are starting to lay. It seems to help, as I'm still getting about one egg per hen per day.

This got me wondering - Do you think it's better to:

a) Give them a warm treat BEFORE they lay, to give them more strength during the stress of egg-laying?

or

b) Give them a warm treat AFTER they lay, to help with recuperation?


Or does it even matter? I'm not sure wither way, but it's interesting to think about.

I do know one thing - If I give my hens a treat like this more than a couple days in a row, they start to expect it every day.

They give me the 'stink-eye' like I am letting them down.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this not-so-critical topic. Thanks!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Here's my thoughts. Feed the warm oatmeal before they lay (preferably while you are still in your jammies going out there in the freezing cold). And lo and behold, the same oatmeal will be in their little tummies after the egg passes, thus giving them restorative nutrition.

[thinking to self that SOME people think about their chickens too much ... must be the weather has froze their brain...]

By the way, nice to see you again Chooks. 'Bout time! And if your hens are laying, could you send a few my way? My girls are taking the winter off.

 

[AllChookUp]

Have you thought perhaps, Buff, that responses like that are the reason I haven't posted much on the BYC in a while?

Seriously, I guess giving tresats before laying help both before and after.

And, maybe I am over-thinking it...

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
Don't feel too bad Chookies, it's always wise to ponder the "chicken stinkeye potential" of anything you do.

 

[ams3651]

I give them a warm treat on cold mornings to warm them up and sometimes on extra cold afternoons to give them a warm belly for bed. never really thought about its contribution to egg laying.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Seeing this topic makes me wonder if anyone has done studies on this. When is the best time of day to feed laying hens? Do they need food in their crops at bedtime?

My grandfather always felt that meaties grew better if they were fed right before sundown. I'm sure the egg industry has all sorts of information about the food to egg conversion. Would they go so far as to test time of day feeding? Or is constant, round the clock feeding all they do?

At my place I feed the September babies first, then open their coop. Otherwise I think they would try to eat me! Afterwards I feed the older birds. This is usually prior to my own breakfast. After my children get on the bus, I head back out to take care of water issues and egg collection. In this cold weather I've been giving a light snack before sundown.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

I haven't had luck getting my pullets to eat warm treats. They take a bite and then shake the food out of their mouths. Just how warm should warm be?

It would seem to me that being warm, whatever the reason, would help with egg laying. When my BA was egg bound I made a sauna in the bathroom and put her in there. She produced two eggs within 45 min. The heat was supposed to have helped her and it sure worked that time.

 

[snowflake]

my hens are not laying well at all in the COLD weather here in MI. they get treats AM and PM I toss oats,boss, split peas bird seed mix on the floor early (before dawn) when I leave for work and hubby often throughs a little more before closing in the eve. 3 to 6 eggs from 22 hens. some are molting or just coming out of molt. but laying is slow. My daughter is putting a heat lamp in her coop to try to increase egg lay

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Yep cold here real cold (had one -24 night..

)
Lots of birds molting, and maybe 4 to 8 eggs per day out of my winter flock of 24 heritage birds... So not bad..

I feed "warm" moist food in the AM and PM..

The active birds enjoy it.. They molting birds do not until they are regrowing feathers..

So my answer to the question is both AM and PM, only what they eat though..

ON

 

[dandelionheart]

Quote:
Same here.