Basic layer feed recipe

[bigsalty]

Hey everyone!

So I figured I would post my own personal chicken feed recipe to see how others may modify it. Just looking to start a thread on nutrition for birds. My birds are free range so my recipe does not call for a lot since they can pretty much manage on their own. The recipe is:

1 50# bag of layer crumble or pellet (https://amzn.to/2XLLM9c)
4 coffee cans of cracked corn (https://amzn.to/2C0y8pi)
1 coffee can of crushed oyster shell (https://amzn.to/2tPJTdO)

I mix this all by hand in a seal-able tote type container. I also use 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (with mother) per 3 gals of water for their water tower. My birds get lots of roughage from their foraging through the yard. Any tweaks and advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[DobieLover]

Hey everyone!

So I figured I would post my own personal chicken feed recipe to see how others may modify it. Just looking to start a thread on nutrition for birds. My birds are free range so my recipe does not call for a lot since they can pretty much manage on their own. The recipe is:

1 50# bag of layer crumble or pellet (https://amzn.to/2XLLM9c)
4 coffee cans of cracked corn (https://amzn.to/2C0y8pi)
1 coffee can of crushed oyster shell (https://amzn.to/2tPJTdO)

I mix this all by hand in a seal-able tote type container. I also use 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (with mother) per 3 gals of water for their water tower. My birds get lots of roughage from their foraging through the yard. Any tweaks and advice are greatly appreciated!

Why do you dilute the protein content of the layer feed with cracked
corn?

Why do you mix the OS in with the feed instead of provide it in a separate container?

What do your chickens do for forage during the winter?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I guess I'm wondering what your goals are with making this mix? I don't see the point of taking a complete feed (the pellets) and then adding extra calcium and fat to it. The pellets should already provide the basic nutrition they need.

 

[Mosey2003]

All you're doing currently is possibly wasting oyster shell and diluting the nutrition of the layer you're buying. If you want to add corn to a feed, you need to buy a much higher protein feed. Corn is approximately 8% protein. In order to make a feed that is 25% corn, you'd want to use at least a 20% protein complete feed, that would make your overall ration 17% protein.

I've ran the numbers myself for completely formulating my own feed from local grains and a vitamin/mineral premix formulated for chickens and it comes out much more expensive than commercial feed. You have to have a LOT of mouths to feed in order to save by mixing yourself.

 

[Mosey2003]

I didn't "play" with them when they where younger so now they are quite skittish of everything.... even the sparrows will land on them and they'll freak out.... I don't think she'd let me force feed her anything.. tho it would be comical watch someone try..

If you want to try and fix the issue, if possible, you could pen her separately. Could grind up a lot of eggshell and mix it into a warm mash, to try and up her calcium a bit on the daily, and also provide a bowl of oyster shell so that she has more calcium available overnight, if she'll eat it. I don't know if that would even work, honestly, but if I were in that situation and wanted to try, it's what I'd try first.

Of course, I'm also all for humanely ending too, if you feel the time is right. It's up to you.

 

[dezertol]

I put some oyster shells in a little plastic cup that I attached to the wall of the run it sat there for months they never touched it...

Not sure why...

 

[rosemarythyme]

I put some oyster shells in a little plastic cup that I attached to the wall of the run it sat there for months they never touched it...

Are the chickens aware of the container (sounds silly but sometimes they don't notice things until you show them). How do your eggshells look? If they're pretty strong then maybe the hens are getting enough from their feed.

 

[pibb]

Most will probably say:

Give the layer feed at a constant rate by never letting the feed run out.
Put the oyster shell in a separate container as free choice.
Give them the cracked corn as a treat every once in a while.

or the same as above but: loose the layer feed and use all flock instead.

 

[dezertol]

I have 4 chickens currently 3 leghorns, and 1 buff orphington.. she's 2 years older then the leghorns.. she "tries" to lay eggs but it's just a mess.. every now and again it's kinda leathery sack.. but mostly it's just gooo.. the leghorns are fine the eggs from them are good sold no issues. I'm temped just end the poor girls existence, as it's such a mess to clean out and it's nearly every other day.... she's almost 5 years old not sure if that's normal or not.. to be honest.. she had 3 sisters, that have all died on their own.. I tried mixing in some egg shell special formula stuff from the tractor supply store.. but it didn't help.
not sure what would be best..

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have 4 chickens currently 3 leghorns, and 1 buff orphington.. she's 2 years older then the leghorns.. she "tries" to lay eggs but it's just a mess.. every now and again it's kinda leathery sack.. but mostly it's just gooo.. the leghorns are fine the eggs from them are good sold no issues. I'm temped just end the poor girls existence, as it's such a mess to clean out and it's nearly every other day.... she's almost 5 years old not sure if that's normal or not..

Older layers can have a number of issues. You might be able to give her calcium supplements orally though I don't know if the eggshell is the only problem here. Might want to post this specific issue on the Emergency / Diseases forum and hopefully someone with more experience can help give better advice.