Dramatic increase in eggs in dead of winter.. Could it be white rice?

[dsc6]

I have 7 hens, born last spring. They had slowed down their laying when it got really cold. 2-3 a day--mostly from my work-horse BOs. Well, last week we gave the chickens some leftover white rice and got 7 eggs the next day. We gave them more rice over the next few days and they are laying 7-8 eggs/day. We also just began feeding them more, so I wondered if it could be the extra calories, but no, we tested it and I'll be danged if it's not the rice. Now they get cooked white rice in every meal, and an extra feeding.

I am one of those who makes my own organic super-dooper chicken feed--and I've been shown up by, horrors, non-organic cooked white rice. What's wrong with the quinoa, for the love of Pete?? ON, I'm shaken, I tell you, shaken.....



(but loving the eggs...

)

 

[FireTigeris]

when you did your test did you replace the white rice with equalized per serving starch? they may be missing starch if its a cold winter.

What's your chicken food recipe?

 

[savingdogs]

I sometimes clean out the fridge and give my chickens a blend of things that we didn't finish, sometimes including rice.

I have associated these fridge clean outs as a time when I had very good egg production a few days after, especially the following day.

I am not an expert, but it seemed to me if they birds eat a larger than usual amount because they find it interesting/different/softer/warmer/whatever, they would tend to lay more eggs. Since rice is not always in my leftovers mash.....I think maybe it is the fact that your rice got them to eat a larger amount of food. Mine also like softened food like that (cooked veggies, leftover soup, pasta).

I try to not give them too much in one day however because I'm concerned there may not be too much nutrition in some of my leftovers (especially things like white rice or plain pasta) or be too fatty or whatever.

Just because they like it doesn't make it good for them.

 

[kristigal8]

Can you post your feed recipe again? I could not find it in the threads and do you feed scratch also when they are not free ranging, say in winter? Thank you so muccccch.