Egg production going up when back on Layena

[Toril]

Yep, it's proved once again. My chickens increase egg production significantly when on Layena layer pellets.

http://poultry.purinamills.com/OURPRODUCTS/Products/Layena/default.aspx

I don't know what is different in this feed, and I'm really not thrilled because I want to feed my birds organic feed (I sell the eggs in my health food store), but we've just gone from 1-3 eggs/day with 11 hens to 6/day with 10 hens, immediately after a hawk attack and two snowstorms (where they don't want to come out). (And no, it's not that they were laying outside - they are fenced in and I check everywhere for eggs.)

Does anyone know of an organic feed that is composed the same way Layena's is?

 

[gaillardia]

What kind of time frame are we talking about? If it is a short period of time, that could be natural variation. My girls hate Layena pellets. I moved back to crumbles and am feeding the pellets to the magpies.

 

[Petej]

My DW bought a bag of Layena the other day. Compared to our previous feed which was Albers, I have much, much better production.

Good stuff! Gotta buy more in a day or so....

 

[believer01]

I used Layena at first since that's what my 4 were eating when I bought them. Switched slowly to Natures Best Layer Feed, Organic, by Kreamer

http://www.organicfeeds.com/downloads/NBOF-layers-brochure.pdf

Didn't notice any drop off in production until the cold weather set in, after the 3rd bag of Natures Best. No preservatives so don't buy large amounts to store during hot weather! Even my cats try to eat this stuff!!

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
could i get this food even though my local garden center doesn't sell it? they only sell layena, which i'm happy with, but if it's not too expensive, i'd rather go organic.

 

[believer01]

Chkinut, I have to special order it thru my feed store. Since there are no preservatives it can't sit around on the shelf for months like the Layena (which makes me wonder if that means the unorganic feeds won't be as bioavailable to the hens). I went to their website, put in my zip code and it came up with a couple stores within an hours drive from me. We live way out so we have to drive 30 min to the closest grocery store anyway. I think it was $23 for the 50# bag. Like all organic, its more expensive......but soooooo worth it. When you research some of the ingredients in regular feed (or people food) it can be pretty disgusting.

When I got the girls, their shells and yolks were much better than store bought. But once they were eating organic the shells got noticeably thicker, the yolks deep orange and their feathers are glowing!

Like splicing the gene for the slime off fish gills into corn b/c its a pesticide! Please! So unless its 'organic', chances are good that all corn available today is GMO. Google it and you'll find many studies, especially from overseas, showing just how bad gmo's are for people and animals ~ causing everything from malnutrition to birth defects! But you won't read about that in your local papers (follow the money trail!!!).

 

[kelidei]

I thought that it was just me but I had the same experience... When I switched back to Layena (I use crumbles) egg production picked up again... I used the organic for about 3 months... interesting!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There's nothing wrong with a chicken feed being organic and an organic feed is good, if it's a well balanced feed. Just as there is a difference between non-organic chicken feeds made by different manufacturers, there is a difference between organic chicken feeds made by different manufacturers. They can use different types of ingredients, add or delete different ingredients or use different amounts of particular ingredients.

Could the people that are have had lower egg production when feeding organic feeds please say what the name of the actual feed is? I'd like to take a look at the ingredients. I think it would be helpful for you to let the manufacturers know that your egg production was lower on their feed, too. It could help them improve their feed, if the feed was the problem.

I've read of a couple of people switching from a different non-organic feed to Layena and seeing an improvement in egg laying, too. Some feeds are just a little better balanced than some others.

 

[kelidei]

@woodlandwoman--- I do not remember the name of what I used but it wasn't the one that was linked. This was a white bag with red and black lettering and there was an image of a farmer and chickens on it --- I got it through my feed store... the chickens loved it and I was going through it like crazy... I have over 60 birds with the increased cost and the quickness with which they went through it coupled with the decrease in production it just wasn't worth it to me... I feel that the Layena is a good feed and my customers are fine with that... on occasion I will have someone walk away because they are not "organic" but most people seemed to be satisfied that they are "natural". I didn't mean to sound like I was dissing organic feed... I am sure you are correct that it depends on the formula and quality. I did let my feed store know why I went back to the Layena.

 

[6chicks&aduck]

Quote:
funny , mine hate the pellets too , but love the crumbles !