Can you feed Meat Bird feed to Layers?

[Onslow's Hens]

How exactly do you do the egg shells? Do you bake them first then crush? Crush up fine or course? I would like to start doing egg shells in addition to the Oyster shell. Any truth in the myth that feeding crushed up egg shell back to hens will cause them to possibly become egg eaters?? Thoughts.....

 

[Mosey2003]

Mine get enough protein that I've never had them just decide to tear into an egg and eat it. I even throw ones that have cracked to them and let them eat the entire egg, never a problem. But, they always have plenty of clean water and they get plenty of protein in their diet.

 

[lazy gardener]

How exactly do you do the egg shells? Do you bake them first then crush? Crush up fine or course? I would like to start doing egg shells in addition to the Oyster shell. Any truth in the myth that feeding crushed up egg shell back to hens will cause them to possibly become egg eaters?? Thoughts.....

No need to bake egg shells. Simply set them aside, let them dry out. Then toss them in the run, give a stomp with your foot and walk away. No need to crush them fine. The calcium is actually better utilized if shells are left on the large side.

It's an old wive's tale that feeding egg shell or even eggs to chickens will turn them into egg eaters. Chickens are opportunistic. If an egg is soft shelled and gets cracked in the nest, there will be a free for all with the birds all fighting to slurp up the contents. Chickens are less likely to lay a soft shelled egg if they have adequate nutrition. So... feeding them egg shell is actually likely to DECREASE the likelihood of an egg being eaten in the nest. Habitual egg eating may happen if a flock is undernourished.

 

[Onslow's Hens]

I agree with the logic that if they have adequate nutrition, egg eating should not happen. Great info. Just one last question about the shells. I will be saving the shells for a few days before crushing them up, do they need to be refrigerated or can they sit out on the counter in a bowl for a few days?

 

[GC-Raptor]

I agree with the logic that if they have adequate nutrition, egg eating should not happen. Great info. Just one last question about the shells. I will be saving the shells for a few days before crushing them up, do they need to be refrigerated or can they sit out on the counter in a bowl for a few days?

I leave mine in a plate a couple of days then crush with fingers and toss in a quart pail ,and leave at room temperature till I feed up to a week or two. GC

 

[Onslow's Hens]

Great thanks. Gonna start doing that.

 

[Mossy Dell]

I know this is an old thread but I wonder how contributors and others have resolved this issue. Personally if I had a laying flock as such I would feed a high protein pellet or mash in one feeder and whole grains in another—

4 parts corn
3 parts wheat
1.5 parts oats or barley
1.5 parts BOSS or millet and Boss based birdseed—

and let the hens balance their diet according to their needs based on individual production cycle. It might be cheaper. But then, I just like feeding grain too.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Personally if I had a laying flock as such I would feed a high protein pellet or mash in one feeder and whole grains in another—

4 parts corn
3 parts wheat
1.5 parts oats or barley
1.5 parts BOSS or millet and Boss based birdseed—

That's similar to the Scratch Grains I give my hens, scattered in their pen.

and let the hens balance their diet according to their needs based on individual production cycle.

Sorry to say, but if I had separate containers of Scratch and another with Crumbles or Pellets.
I believe the Scratch would get eaten before they touch the Crumbles. They love the Scratch, though the cracked corn is last to get consumed.

I'm currently feeding my Golden Comet, (she will be 4 years old Monday) and my newest hens, 5 Barred Rocks 1 1/2 years old a 18 - 20% Protein feed. Either a Non-Medicated Starter-Grower or a All-Flock/Flock Raiser feed, whichever is fresher or available when I'm at TSC. .
I give them the Scratch scattered in their pen. A 1/3 of a cup twice a day for my 5 Rocks, and a Tablespoon twice daily for my Comet, she has her own coop and pen.
That's about 10% of total feed consumption.
I haven't fed a Layers feed in a couple of years.
I have separate containers, one for Oyster Shells and another for Poultry Grit.
If you try the separate containers for Scratch and Feed, let us know if it works or not. GC

 

[Mossy Dell]

That is good looking scratch, Raptor. I wonder if others have found hens do balance their protein and energy needs when given choice? Robert Plamondon promotes it, and I recall reading a researcher or two who says they do. The mash you feed sounds highly palatable!

 

[Newyorkrita]

I have always wondered if you fed Dual Purpose birds meat bird feed if they would turn out to grow larger when mature. That compared to feeding your layer flock.