Egg production dropping on organic layer feed?

[GreenMountainEric]

The corn/soy free diets will tend to produce less eggs..... Depending on formulation, it could be considerably less. Judging by the ingredients, and protein content of the feed, I would assume that you are actually short on energy, rather than protein. It may be a necessary evil, with that type of formulation. It is difficult to formulate a soy-free ration, and also maintain optimum energy levels in the feed. Using large amounts of field peas, in order to raise the protein of the feed, will drastically reduce the amount of available energy. I believe they make a 16% protein version, and that will probably work better, as long as you are not feeding a lot of scratch feed. If you would like to stay with organic feed, you might want to try a more traditionally formulated feed. (If production levels are very important to you, and you don't mind corn or soy)

Energy levels are more of a driving factor for egg production. Protein levels will have more effect on the size of your chickens, and the size of your eggs. Both things are equally important to the health of your chicken.

Also, you will start to see a natural drop in egg production, as soon as the days start getting shorter. More and more as the you get into late august/sept. (unless you are lighting them, to keep them at 16ish hours of light, per day)

 

[matt44644]

I guess maybe having pesticide residue may help in egg laying?

 

[ReillyJ]

The corn/soy free diets will tend to produce less eggs..... Depending on formulation, it could be considerably less. Judging by the ingredients, and protein content of the feed, I would assume that you are actually short on energy, rather than protein. It may be a necessary evil, with that type of formulation. It is difficult to formulate a soy-free ration, and also maintain optimum energy levels in the feed. Using large amounts of field peas, in order to raise the protein of the feed, will drastically reduce the amount of available energy. I believe they make a 16% protein version, and that will probably work better, as long as you are not feeding a lot of scratch feed. If you would like to stay with organic feed, you might want to try a more traditionally formulated feed. (If production levels are very important to you, and you don't mind corn or soy)

Energy levels are more of a driving factor for egg production. Protein levels will have more effect on the size of your chickens, and the size of your eggs. Both things are equally important to the health of your chicken.

Also, you will start to see a natural drop in egg production, as soon as the days start getting shorter. More and more as the you get into late august/sept. (unless you are lighting them, to keep them at 16ish hours of light, per day)

Well this is all very interesting and the first time anyone has ever explained this to me. So i'm wondering the VALUE of this kind of feed? Organic is important but i thought i was doing my hens a service not feeding corn or soy (i'm not a fan of either) BUT...if it's going to affect the health of my hens (and their egg laying) then perhaps i should rethink?

I had them on the same feed (Scratch n Peck organic) but just went through a 20% protein bag as i really think they had gone through a molt, they DO continue to lay (i ferment the feed) but yes, daylight hours dwindling have produced less eggs although the most certainly are still laying.

They free range about 5-6 hrs a day. Only other supplement i give them is shelled raw BOOS.

I am wondering about buying a commercial layer pellet and mixing it maybe at a 30%/70% ratio to the Organic (70% organic)?? I just am not thrilled with the ingredients but if it benefits my hens then .... maybe i should?

This is the Scratch n Peck ingredients that i have been feeding;
Organic Wheat, Organic Peas, Organic Barley, Organic Linseed Meal, Organic Camelina Meal, Limestone (Calcium Carbonate), Oyster Shell, Fish Meal, Vitamin and Mineral Premix, Organic Vegetable Oil.

This is the organic layer pellet i'm thinking about. ONLY advantage it looks to me is it's organic:

Manna Pro

Certified Organic Layer Pellets. Made without pesticides, medications, or genetically-modified ingredients, our pellets are USDA Certified Organic so you can have the utmost confidence in your feed. Plus, our pellets contain the highest quality nutrition you’ve come to expect from Manna Pro.

• USDA certified organic and non-GMO
• 16% protein

Ingredients

Organic Corn, Organic Soybean Meal, Organic Barley, Organic Oats, Organic Wheat Midds, Organic Flaxmeal, Organic Cane Molasses, DL Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite, Zinc Methionine Complex

Maybe i should try the organic layer pellet (with corn/soy) and add it into the Scratch n Peck ferment? I can get Layena but really have had negative responses to those i've corresponded with about it

Advice?? Just want my hens to be healthy but yes, we have them for the eggs!

 

[matt44644]

Well for the past 2-3 weeks i've seen a few feathers missing from all of them, just a few here/there like someone has tried to pull them out so to speak.

They were completely free range when i got them, owners just didn't care for them and i have had them in a coop/run for 5 weeks and decided to take my chances and let them out as i didn't know if they were stressed or not, so happy now to let them free range for 3-4 hrs a day.

If they weren't properly taking care of they probably wont be egg laying machines for a while,just a thought

 

[ReillyJ]

If they weren't properly taking care of they probably wont be egg laying machines for a while,just a thought

They laid like champs when i had them on commercial pellets, and treats like Manna Pro and fruits/melons, BOSS But they did go through a molt and i do believe egg production dropped just a bit with switching to the Organic soy free

 

[matt44644]

http://ucanr.edu/sites/placernevadasmallfarms/files/102993.pdf
Maybe too much wheat?In the one feed.

 

[CrazyTalk]

I guess maybe having pesticide residue may help in egg laying?

There's plenty of pesticide residue in organic foods - it's just not man-made. Well, it is man-made, it just comes from nature. Well, except when it doesn't because the organic council .. well.. I really don't know why they do what they do, because none of it makes much sense.


The OP is feeding a poor diet.

 

[ReillyJ]

There's plenty of pesticide residue in organic foods - it's just not man-made. Well, it is man-made, it just comes from nature. Well, except when it doesn't because the organic council .. well.. I really don't know why they do what they do, because none of it makes much sense.


The OP is feeding a poor diet.

SO you're saying that the Scratch n Peck Soy free Corn free Layer feed is a POOR DIET? How do you come by this conclusion? Especially when a lot of commercial layer feeds are pretty much cheap bottom of the barrel crap?

 

[CrazyTalk]

SO you're saying that the Scratch n Peck Soy free Corn free Layer feed is a POOR DIET? How do you come by this conclusion? Especially when a lot of commercial layer feeds are pretty much cheap bottom of the barrel crap?

The fact that switching to your feed caused a significant drop off in egg quantity means that the feed is a poor diet for your layers. They're not getting from their diet what they need.

 

[KYTinpusher]

I have been feeding Scratch n' Peck for a few months now. I mix it about 50/50 with a local (less expensive) non-GMO feed because I like the probiotics in the Sn'P. I LOVE it, and so do my chickens. I recently started fermenting it also. My chickens have experienced a slow down in laying in the same period as the OP, but not as much as some others in my area. Much of it is due to molt - my farm looks like there was an explosion at a pillow factory! What I have noticed is that the eggs got smaller for a bit, but the eggs are much more uniform, and better, in shape, color and shell quality. I have also had excellent fertility and very healthy, robust chicks hatch from these eggs. The feather quality on the birds that are finishing up their molts is very high. These factors tell me that they are getting a superior nutrition. I think my chickens' bodies are putting priority right now on getting healthier and not laying eggs. I am expecting excellent egg production again, but probably not until spring.

Any time you switch feeds, there can be an adjustment period. Chickens are not fond of change. Time of year can have an affect on their laying. Also, the OP did not mention what breed(s) of chickens she has. Not all breeds will lay full-steam all year. Heritage breeds and those bred for other qualities (egg color, show quality, etc) are going to have more periods of slow or non-laying than say production leghorns.

I, for one, would rather have eggs that I know did not come from chickens fed that GMO CRAP.