I feed my gals Layena (or Dumor, the
TSC version). In the cold months, I do add cracked corn for the heat issue. Everything I've read says that's the right thing to do in a cold climate. No adverse effects on them or the eggs. And it's no more expensive than the feed. Once this batch of feed is gone, around March 1, I'll not add any more corn until next winter.
I did try to switch to whole corn on someone's advice and they won't touch it, so the squirrels and birds are having fun with that.
My birds always eat self-serve. Their oyster shell is also free-choice. Folks at
Tractor Supply told me I don't need oyster if I use a complete feed like Layena, but every grower I know disagrees. Oyster shell is cheap, anyway. It also gives them grit (which they probably don't need since they free range anyway).
Oh, I read exhaustively on whether it's a good idea to put crushed shell back into their feed and I've decided that's a very bad idea. I save egg shells only for amending the soil of my tomato-family crops.
I've had my 4 girls since August and they're all well, happy, and still laying like crazy, even though it's winter and 12 degrees this morning.
