Am I doing something wrong?

[Allthefloofs]

Just like warm foods won't warm up a bird, cold food won't cool them off.
Electrolytes is best for both extreme heat and extreme cold.

I give them electrolytes with their water a couple times per week in the summer. It's more about enjoyment. In the winter I give electrolytes a little less frequently just because they seem less stressed during the winter. I doesn't get that cold here.

 

[Nova Scotia Homestead]

Interesting, thanks!

No need to heat egg shells......and they are closer to pure calcium, not much protein there. No need to crush them either, plenty of folks just toss the halves in the run with no subsequent egg eating.

Interesting, thanks!

No need to heat egg shells......and they are closer to pure calcium, not much protein there. No need to crush them either, plenty of folks just toss the halves in the run with no subsequent egg eating.

The reason for heating the egg shells ...is so that they easily crush when a person is preparing them. Have you ever tried to crush an egg into tiny pieces that wasn't baked? It isn't very easy. The membranes on the inside of the eggs makes it very hard.
Your right...some people do just throw the uncrushed eggs into the chickens and have had no issues with 'egg canabalism'. However.....some people DO have issues 'egg canabalism'. It'sa very real problem for some peiple. Like my landlord, who had to get rid of his entire egg laying flock and start over from scratch because he was told he could just throw the shells in. And ultimately ended up with 0 eggs every day after that. Man what a financial loss. In my opinion it's probablly just the safer Choice to NOT do it.
In regards to your comment about the protien in the eggs. Your definitely right about the calcium. Eggs shells are mostly made up of calcium. I didn't say anything otherwise. Shells provide the heathiest form of calcium on planet earth. Not just for chickens, but for humans too. But this post wasn't about that. It was about the protien. The protien comes from the membrane that's between the egg and the shell. The membrane is MOSTLY protien. After cooked...it usually stays attached to the egg . So it's a great protien supplement to add to their feed. The feed already has the scientifically calculated amount of protien needed for the chickens though. But why waste the eggs when one can give them a boost of calcium and protien? Especially in the winter.

 

[aart]

Have you ever tried to crush an egg into tiny pieces that wasn't baked? It isn't very easy. The membranes on the inside of the eggs makes it very hard.

Yep, do it all the time.
I let them dry out for quite a while to, that probably helps.
I also use a DIY mortar and pestle, heavy drinking glass and metal measuring cup.
Crush a nested stack with hand, then crush them smaller with M&P.

 

[Nova Scotia Homestead]

Yep, do it all the time.
I let them dry out for quite a while to, that probably helps.
I also use a DIY mortar and pestle, heavy drinking glass and metal measuring cup.
Crush a nested stack with hand, then crush them smaller with M&P.

You literally told the poster that there's no need to crush the eggs and to just throw them in with the birds. Now your saying you DO crush the eggs. So what's the point in all this aart? And all your other negative responses to my valid and educational advice?

 

[aart]

You literally told the poster that there's no need to crush the eggs and to just throw them in with the birds. Now your saying you DO crush the eggs.

Yes, I do crush the shells, to mix with OS.
Just said it's not necessary to crush them and that many people do not.

 

[LaFleche]

As always with recommendations from so-called scientific studies, there should always be the question of 'cui bono?'

The links provided so far are from commercial poultry feed producer or private blogger getting paid for linking the mentioned poultry feed producer and writing articles to position links not only to mentioned sponsor but other vendors also.

I do not feed commercial poultry/chicken feed, but mix my own organic chicken feed since more than 20 years, during this time I have tried and learned a lot from my earlier mistakes and I can say that my oldest chicken will be 10 years old in early March. More than half of my 44 chickens are 5-7,5 years old, top fit and still laying.
And here it comes: I do feed them some oatmeal on quite a regular basis starting in October until February with no adverse effects whatsoever. But I always combine it with a high animal protein source, so there might just lay the difference, as most commercial poultry feed proteins will be of vegetable origin only.

 

[Nova Scotia Homestead]

As always with recommendations from so-called scientific studies, there should always be the question of 'cui bono?'

The links provided so far are from commercial poultry feed producer or private blogger getting paid for linking the mentioned poultry feed producer and writing articles to position links not only to mentioned sponsor but other vendors also.

I do not feed commercial poultry/chicken feed, but mix my own organic chicken feed since more than 20 years, during this time I have tried and learned a lot from my earlier mistakes and I can say that my oldest chicken will be 10 years old in early March. More than half of my 44 chickens are 5-7,5 years old, top fit and still laying.
And here it comes: I do feed them some oatmeal on quite a regular basis starting in October until February with no adverse effects whatsoever. But I always combine it with a high animal protein source, so there might just lay the difference, as most commercial poultry feed proteins will be of vegetable origin only.

If people choose to do commercial feed because the feed is specificlly and scientifically made for maximum egg production.... That's their choice. Not everyone has the time, means, knowledge or money to mix their own food. The feed in those commercial bags....they come from farmers. regardless of size . Just because your doing it the harder way, that doesn't mean the commercial feed is wrong. And It seams to me that the blogger in the link is just writing their educational opinion in the matter. Much like what your trying to do now. And like everyone is trying to do.

 

[LaFleche]

If people choose to do commercial feed because the feed is specificlly and scientifically made for maximum egg production.... That's their choice. Not everyone has the time, means, knowledge or money to mix their own food. The feed in those commercial bags....they come from farmers. regardless of size . Just because your doing it the harder way, that doesn't mean the commercial feed is wrong. And It seams to me that the blogger in the link is just writing their educational opinion in the matter. Much like what your trying to do now. And like everyone is trying to do.

What is it that has you coming on so defensively/aggressively? The same with @aart 's posts? Nobody offended you here as far as I can see.

Chicken keeping/breeding is a wonderful thing, and even more so as everyone that chooses to keep chickens can do it to the best of their knowledge and the way it suits best with their own goals, abilities and beliefs.

I chose to share my experience on oatmeal. And sharing own experiences and trying to help each other is what BYC is all about.

the feed is specificlly and scientifically made for maximum egg production

By the way, this does often not bode well with the health of the chickens, as in addition to the genetic disposition, these feeds can contain too much protein and too much salt to enduce extreme laying activities, which lead to the well-known disorders and severe health issues of the reproductive system. Best to experience with rescued commercial layers.

 

[RebeccaRN]

Yep, do it all the time.
I let them dry out for quite a while to, that probably helps.
I also use a DIY mortar and pestle, heavy drinking glass and metal measuring cup.
Crush a nested stack with hand, then crush them smaller with M&P.

I use a M & P also. I rinse out the eggshells and let them dry out on a paper towel over nite. They crush up just fine and my girls gobble them up

 

[britinpa]

I've never fed oatmeal to my chickens.
I don't feed wet feed during winter season.

I do make a wet mash with chicken feed during the summer with cold water, a 1/4 cup dry per chicken.View attachment 2437587
If you want to feed them something warm, I would make a wet mash with regular feed, crumbles is what I feed, but pellets would work, just have to wait a couple of minutes to soak up the warm water. GC

Should I stop wet feed now it's starting to freeze outside? I've been giving my pullets wet feed regularly in the afternoon for a couple of months now.