Does organic feed provide all necessary things for laying?

[64Galaxie]

Right now, I pay $15 for a 50lb bag of organic feed. I don't have a pic of the label but I know it has oats, molasses, cracked corn, and 16% protein. It also has some other stuff. Does that provide them enough for them to lay? I do feed mealworms which is 53% protein. Also, my dad thinks that the orange poop has something to do with the organic feed. Is that normal from organic feed? My barred rock stopped laying 2 weeks after switching to organic and hasn't laid since, not sure if they are connected in anyway. The commercial feed that I used to get was Poulin Grain. Thanks

 

[FridayYet]

In my opinion, it really depends on what brand you are feeding and what all the ingredients are. There are good organic feeds out there and some not so good.

 

[BathrobeGardner]

I have always fed organic feed for all my chickens right from when they are born and it has not stopped laying at all. I use Modesto Milling organic foods which runs about $33 for a 50lb bag. I also supplement with organic sunflower seeds as a treat and extra omegas etc. I also grow organic vegetables which I give them. I don't give kitchen scraps a lot and even then I will only give them wheat bread and healthy stuff. $15 for a 50lb bag seems rather cheap but I don't know where you live so it's possible I am just paying California prices lol. Try giving them a little buttermilk. My girls love it and when I give them that with the sunflower seeds, they just thrive. Good luck.

 

[64Galaxie]

I have always fed organic feed for all my chickens right from when they are born and it has not stopped laying at all. I use Modesto Milling organic foods which runs about $33 for a 50lb bag.  I also supplement with organic sunflower seeds as a treat and extra omegas etc.  I also grow organic vegetables which I give them.  I don't give kitchen scraps a lot and even then I will only give them wheat bread and healthy stuff.  $15 for a 50lb bag seems rather cheap but I don't know where you live so it's possible I am just paying California prices lol.  Try giving them a little buttermilk.  My girls love it and when I give them that with the sunflower seeds, they just thrive. Good luck.

Wow, that's really cool that you grow your own foods for them. We have a garden too but I'm not sure if my dad will give them anything. Maybe if we have extras, or bad vegetables. I live in Connecticut. Not sure if $15 is good around here either. All I know is that he has around 50-70 Red Stars and that's all he feeds them and he has no problems. I just wasn't sure if switching was a downgrade or an upgrade for them. All my other chickens are laying just not that one barred rock. Maybe it has been too cold for her or something. Is there a way to tell cheap organic food from good? Will taking a picture of the label help?

 

[BathrobeGardner]

These are the ingredients in the the feed I use. If its only 1 hen not laying, then I wouldn't worry about it.


* Organic Layer Pellets or Crumbles #5998

​

Use: Layer pellets are formulated to be a complete feed, but are also useful as part of a pasture-based diet. Layer pellets can be fed starting at 15-18 weeks of age.
Ingredients :Organic corn, organic soybean meal, organic wheat, limestone, organic sun-dried alfalfa, organic flaxseed, Redmond conditioner (clay), organic wheat millrun, organic kelp meal, monocalcium phosphate, diatomaceous earth, Redmond salt, DL Methionine, poultry vitamin & mineral premix, organic garlic granules, organic horseradish powder, organic star anise oil, organic juniper berry oil
Guaranteed analysis: Crude protein min 17%, crude fat 3.4%, crude fiber max 4.8%, ash max 17.8%

 

[64Galaxie]

These are the ingredients in the the feed I use. If its only 1 hen not laying, then I wouldn't worry about it.

* Organic Layer Pellets or Crumbles #5998

[COLOR=00783C]

​

Use: Layer pellets are formulated to be a complete feed, but are also useful as part of a pasture-based diet. Layer pellets can be fed starting at 15-18 weeks of age.[/COLOR]
Ingredients :Organic corn, organic soybean meal, organic wheat, limestone, organic sun-dried alfalfa, organic flaxseed, Redmond conditioner (clay), organic wheat millrun, organic kelp meal, monocalcium phosphate, diatomaceous earth, Redmond salt, DL Methionine, poultry vitamin & mineral premix, organic garlic granules, organic horseradish powder, organic star anise oil, organic juniper berry oil
Guaranteed analysis: Crude protein min 17%, crude fat 3.4%, crude fiber max 4.8%, ash max 17.8%

OK, will look into that. How much is that for a 50lb bag? I would be able to have a farm order that for me. What is the name of the company?

 

[BathrobeGardner]

The company is Modesto Milling. If you order directly from the company I think its about $24 for a 50 lb bag but the shipping charges will knock your socks off You can go on their website and see if they have a distributor where you live. If the feed you are using works for your dad then I wouldn't worry so much. Once, when I couldn't get my usual feed and had to buy a different brand of organic food, my hens started laying misshapen eggs or no eggs and one egg even had a lot of blood in it (which is something that had never happened before or since). Once I went back to my original feed, everything became normal again. I think your barred rock might just be taking her time adjusting to the new feed.

 

[BathrobeGardner]

Also, as an aside, my chickens are never sick, have had no diseases and I have never medicated them so I personally would never feed anything other than organic. The price I pay is worth not having to pay a vet's bill.