Best feed for old non egg laying chickens?

[ChickenLover1008848]

If they’re not on layer feed now, I’d just cut back portions. I don’t think there’s a specific weight-loss feed.

Similarly, back off on the portions of veg/ fruit/ etc. Skip the scratch entirely.

Use the 15-minute rule: offer food for 15 minutes and then take up whatever hasn’t been eaten yet. You’ll probably get a great deal of Drama from them about this, but they’ll learn.

Since they can’t be out foraging a lot, consider adding some interest in their run. Branches of differing heights, upturned buckets to hop on and off of, piles of dried leaves to scratch through - anything that might get them moving a bit more.

I used to budget there food and give them set amounts through the day but then they didnt digest as well, however now they have crumble which is digesting great for them so I'll try this method with new crumble feed. Also great idea for the leafs and branches I'll get them some. Any other things that would be good to put in dirt or get them playing? They have a dust bath but it doesn't work well because the dirt got rained on, would adding ash or something similar be fun for them?

 

[Debbie292d]

Any other things that would be good to put in dirt or get them playing? They have a dust bath but it doesn't work well because the dirt got rained on, would adding ash or something similar be fun for them?

During the summer, they all have access to my flower beds or dirt somewhere around here.

In the winter, it's frozen, so we have about 8 giant kitty litter boxes. Hubby gets dirt from the garden ahead of time and stores it in the coop that doesn't freeze. He fills each one about half full of dirt, probably about a cup or so of wood ash from our furnace, a sprinkle of FG diatomaceous earth, stirs, and they dive in. One kitty litter box lasts about a month, so he's got 5-gallon buckets of dirt stored to refill them.

 

[Bsmac]

Kalmbach Flock raiser is a good feed. I use it as we have several age groups not all laying at the same time. Just put crushed oyster shell out at all times free choice. If they need it they will eat it!

 

[ChickenLover1008848]

Kalmbach Flock raiser is a good feed. I use it as we have several age groups not all laying at the same time. Just put crushed oyster shell out at all times free choice. If they need it they will eat it!

The vet told me I should use all flock only but kalmbach only offers all flock in pellet, I'll ask him about flock raiser crumble thank you for the recommendation!

 

[FrostRanger]

Thank you! Definitely have been reducing scratch amount, how many veggies and fruits should they have? They get very small amounts of fruit (a few berries) one or twice week and veggies three or four times in small amounts (like one whole cucumber 2 times a month and small bites of brussel, lettuce or other veggies since there picky and don't eat too much of one thing) tho recently more veggies until we find them a better feed. Also how much scratch amount is good per week? I used to give them one handful a day now I give them just a little sprinkle here and there.

I'd cut all extras out entirely especially the scratch. Too many treats is usually the cause of being overweight, not the brand of feed (as long as it's nutritionally sound) and based on what you've said it sounds like too many treats is the issue here. I personally feed kalmbach flock maker pellets but again, nutritional levels are more important than brand (I would generally avoid organic though because many organic feeds have only the bare minimum amount of protein, lysine and methionine which are all very important for chicken health, a few feeds are even deficient. Good organic feeds do exist but are harder to find, be very careful to read labels if you insist on organic)

 

[Debbie292d]

The vet told me I should use all flock only but kalmbach only offers all flock in pellet, I'll ask him about flock raiser crumble thank you for the recommendation!

This is what we use for everything here.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The vet told me I should use all flock only but kalmbach only offers all flock in pellet, I'll ask him about flock raiser crumble thank you for the recommendation!

Not that it matters from a nutritional standpoint, but I just wanted to say that we had a LOT more waste with crumbles than with pellets in our so-called "no-waste feeders"! These are 5-gallon buckets with plastic elbows that the chickens stick their heads into to eat. Just be aware, depending what kind of feeders you have.

 

[FrostRanger]

Not that it matters from a nutritional standpoint, but I just wanted to say that we had a LOT more waste with crumbles than with pellets in our so-called "no-waste feeders"! These are 5-gallon buckets with plastic elbows that the chickens stick their heads into to eat. Just be aware, depending what kind of feeders you have.

That's exactly why I stopped feeding crumbles early on. First birds I had were especially bad, they would waste piles of crumbles, get them everywhere and not clean it up. Pellets fixed that up quickly. Current birds are much better about not wasting food but they still get pellets as I use the same type of feeders and those don't do well with crumbles and that early experience greatly soured my opinion of crumbles at least for my own use

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I used to budget there food and give them set amounts through the day but then they didnt digest as well, however now they have crumble which is digesting great for them so I'll try this method with new crumble feed. Also great idea for the leafs and branches I'll get them some. Any other things that would be good to put in dirt or get them playing? They have a dust bath but it doesn't work well because the dirt got rained on, would adding ash or something similar be fun for them?

Well, one challenge is that they’re older and presumably have most of their crazies out. I’m 71, and if someone tried to make my house into an obstacle course (well, more than it already is), I wouldn’t be very pleased.

But if there are elements of their run that you can just rearrange, maybe try that. Probably you should expect some bawking, because chickens get Very Excited in a negative way about novelty and change. But they’ll come around. Do they have spots waist-high (human waist) or higher that they can perch on to inspect and comment on your backyard and whatever’s happening there? Several perches are great, and often even better if there are connections between them off the ground.

Any weeds, grass clippings, anything similar that you can dump into the run along with the dead leaves that will get them scratching and digging, along with elevated perches that they have to work a bit to get to; that’s what comes to my mind.

Your kitty litter boxes for winter sound great!

 

[FlockVillemaire]

Thank you! Definitely have been reducing scratch amount, how many veggies and fruits should they have? They get very small amounts of fruit (a few berries) one or twice week and veggies three or four times in small amounts (like one whole cucumber 2 times a month and small bites of brussel, lettuce or other veggies since there picky and don't eat too much of one thing) tho recently more veggies until we find them a better feed. Also how much scratch amount is good per week? I used to give them one handful a day now I give them just a little sprinkle here and there.

Can you build/plant a protected (insulated cold box if needed?) GRAZING BOX? Fairly simple exercise, amusement & nutrition.

Since natural, evolutionary free ranging isn't in your current system (for safety) they are not moving enough. But even worse, they are not constantly scratching for grubs and grass/herbs! A fatty liver/hen is likeliest in winter when vitamin D LEVELS fall, sleep & microbiome get easily ruined and too many CARBOHYDRATES (not fats) get eaten. Fructose is the hardest on a fatty liver since it can only be metabolized there, so avoid fruit till better. (Cucumbers are fruits, though fairly low carb/fructose. Fruits & table sugar are ~50/50 glucose/fructose, so don't add those, but leaf/stalk greens are great. They need more animal protein/bugs/meat/catfood? not carbs, and perhaps add hormone! D (purposefully misidentified as a vitamin by profiteering PhARMA science) and K2/Mg and probiotics to support the better D levels.

If you can at all possibly FERMENT their feed, just cover/soak it in water for a few days with regular stirring, and add D/K2 to the feed. This will also naturally give them PROBIOTICS from the fermentation process! I add a bit of kefir whey to quicken the fermentation, herbs & greens & spices. I also add grated beets/greens. You would just minimally need a few rotating fermentation containers/buckets, feed & water. And a feeder/platter to feed it to them in.