Eggs?

[WindingRoad]

@WindingRoad what % protein do you feed the rest of the year? I’m still questioning my protein choices, which is compounded by an order of chicks due to arrive next week. I buy my feed on Amazon because I have no close poultry supplies stores and the protein levels are so wildly different brand to brand... Do you ignore whether the bag says~ starter, grower etc? Right now the bag for the chicks’ feed is 20.5% but I saw a bag that had 22% protein. And the big girls feed has 17%. Is 17% enough for spring/ summer needs of laying hens? I took other’s advice and am NOT giving layer feed but it’s an all flock with oyster on the side

I fed 16% during the late summer ( got my BO and ISABrown in July or August) and they laid fine. Then in late fall ( Oct probably) I figured my BO and ISABrown at 18 months would molt. So I bought 22% for help with feather regrowth and speed of regrowth and just kept using it. I now have 2 SLW about 28 weeks old eating it. No Tractor Supply near you? When I go out in about a half hour to check water and eggs I'll look at the bag. I don't remember the brand. Ah I'll get slammed but I feed OS right on top of feed. About a 20 or so granules once a week. For 4 birds. And another day of the week I feed their shells back to them. Smash them up put on cookie/pizza pan and bake at 350 for about 5 mins. Watch them they will burn. Then I put them in a grinder, like for nuts or onions, and grind them quite small. Cool and pour over feed. Those are free although OS is not very expensive and with what I feed a 5 lb bag with last a lone time. I would like to recommend mealworms but they will get addicted to them. If I don't put them on their feed when I feed them they squawk VERY LOUDLY. Ma you forgot something.

Just went out to check water. Not frozen been out there for 2 hours. ACV actually. And one egg from a SLW. Looked at bag of feed. And I lied. It is Nutrena All Flock 20%. I asked the kid at TSC to get it off the shelf. Because it was up too high for me. He must have grabbed the wrong bag. Oh well they laid all winter most days 4 eggs from 2 hens and 2 pullets. I don't think that's too bad. 4 yesterday 2 so far today. They used to lay over night but now they are spacing them out right up to 1500 many days.

 

[Mrs.Megan]

Thanks so much @WindingRoad It helps to have a reference for what works for different flocks. So I’ll keep in mind upping the protein during fall/ winter when they might be molting and keep them on the 17% feed for now.
The closet tractor supply type store is about 45 minutes away sadly... It’s not too much of a problem as I have a small flock and they free range so seem to worry more about bugs, grass and knocking on the back porch windows for bananas or scrambled egg treats <3. They really only eat the feed first thing in the morning, after they lay an egg and at night. When there is snow on the ground and they don’t want to leave their covered run, I notice they eat A LOT more feed. They are so happy today now that the snow is melting and it’s 50 degrees