Barastoc Top Layer Crumble for a home flock?

[CrazyChookz]

Hi,

I have some very picky chooks, and they don't like their pellets. We recently bought a small pack of Barastoc Top Layer Crumble, and they surprisingly ate it quite well. I've read and heard about how chooks being 'forced' to lay eggs had shorter life spans.I want my chooks to live long, as they are pets, and on the feed packet it says that it is for 'commercial laying hens'. Will this shorten their life spans? Is this 'forcing' them to lay eggs?

Please help!
Thank you

 

[perchie.girl]

I don't think you can "force" a hen to lay eggs. The genetics are there.... I think the shortened lifespan comes from being caged in battery cages for egg laying. No room to move around or take a dust bath or a chance to scratch up tidbits... thats what shortens the lifespan.

Give em good nutrition (food they like) and lots of exercise fresh greens occasional table scraps. I actually supplement my poultry with catfish chow. Because I cant let them free range, too many predators here. Bobcat, Mountan lion, coyotes, feral Dogs, raccoons, foxes.... thats not even covering the flying ones.

deb

 

[CrazyChookz]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds like you have a lot of predators in your area!

 

[perchie.girl]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds like you have a lot of predators in your area!

Yep. My place is surrounded with desert some BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) This is owned and managed by the government usually unfenced. I have 18 acres Not quite like your Outback but pretty Wild west for sure. Many people pack guns...

We have to register to own a fire arm and a special permit to carry a concealed fire arm. But out here you can pack a gun in a holster if its unloaded. On your own property you can carry it loaded but you better not cross your property line. I have a shotgun for other reasons. I don't believe in doing anything but passive protection for my animals. My theory is if you kill one predator off another takes its spot including snakes. So everyone stays locked up when I am gone. I relocate cooperative rattlesnakes but do kill ones that don't.
So far I have only had to kill two.

I eventually want to do a good fence backed up by electric wire. This works for just about all four footed and even the two footed ones.... LOL. Then inside the fence Have a Livestock guardian dog. Trained for goats chickens horses and what ever else I decide to raise. Then the poultry yard will get Net strung overhead....

Till I can pull all that together everyone is on lockup. Even the Guinea fowl. So I compensate by having large but enclosed spaces for my chickens lots of fresh air and good food. I don't know Australian brands of feed but here there are hundreds to choose from. I am not into organic but I do buy good quality and supplement it with fruits veggies and meat scraps. Yes even chicken leftovers... LOL.

deb

 

[CrazyChookz]

Wow. Here if you carry firearms you get arrested. Not like there are any cops in the outback though.