Enough food?

[caprice859]

I'm feeding my girls layer pellets (16%) in a feeder that's out all day in their pen. They are not free range but they have a decent size space to dig in. I don't think they really eat that much of the pellets since I don't fill it that often. I also give them a pie pan full of crumbles mixed with herbs and meal worms. I was only doing it once but started doing it twice a day -- morning and evening before bed time. I also give them scratch grains every morning as well.

I have noticed that their yolks are not as dark and look more like store bought eggs. I believe that's what you feed them (like marigolds) to get that rich color.

Any advice on feeding? They seem healthy and happy! TIA

Dahn

 

[Brooks_]

Cut the mealworms and scratch.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They're not getting nearly enough protein with that many treats and that low of a protein in the feed

 

[Folly's place]

x3! They are not eating a balanced diet, and may look fine, but they aren't. The layer feeds are meant to be fed exclusively, not diluted with these other things. At least only feed the layer feed!
An all flock diet with separate oyster shell is another good way to feed, again, without all those treats.
Mary

 

[caprice859]

Thanks for the advice! I thought meal worms were a good form of protein?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thanks for the advice! I thought meal worms were a good form of protein?

Ish. But they're way too high in fat to be worth feeding more than a couple worms

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks for the advice! I thought meal worms were a good form of protein?

That's true, but its only part of the equation. You can't judge a forest by a single tree.

Balancing chicken's nutrition - particularly chickens who have no choice - is hard. Very hard. Its why those of us who have made any study of the subject at all almost universally recommend against trying to make your own feed at home. Functionally, offering scratch, plus layer, plus mealworms, plus crumbles (more layer?) is like trying to mix your own feed - or like trying to bake a cake by mixing a third box of german chocolate mix with a third box of chocolate fudge mix with a handful of hershey's white chocolate morsels, and a half package of cornbread mix. Actually, its probably worse than that, since the cake mixes don't pretend to be a complete diet.

Everything you do in the belief you are making their lives more fun/interesting/diverse in terms of feed does nothing but line the pockets of those who have created those market niche and risks dietary imbalance for your birds.

Cut the scratch, use up your mealworms bag as treats, and if the dark orange/red cast to the eggs is very important to you (its mostly, but not entirely advertising too - depending on what is causing the coloration), you can alternate the mealworms treats with treats of canned salmon, spent shrimp shells (think boil, peal, and eat - but not ones seasoned in a ton of Old Bay!, watch the salt), dark green leafies (kale, spinach, chard), cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash and zucchini. As TREATS, and alternate.

Or simply do what most of us do, and offer an all flock formulation all the time with free choice fresh clean water, oyster shell, grit in separate containers.

 

[caprice859]

Ko

That's true, but its only part of the equation. You can't judge a forest by a single tree.

Balancing chicken's nutrition - particularly chickens who have no choice - is hard. Very hard. Its why those of us who have made any study of the subject at all almost universally recommend against trying to make your own feed at home. Functionally, offering scratch, plus layer, plus mealworms, plus crumbles (more layer?) is like trying to mix your own feed - or like trying to bake a cake by mixing a third box of german chocolate mix with a third box of chocolate fudge mix with a handful of hershey's white chocolate morsels, and a half package of cornbread mix. Actually, its probably worse than that, since the cake mixes don't pretend to be a complete diet.

Everything you do in the belief you are making their lives more fun/interesting/diverse in terms of feed does nothing but line the pockets of those who have created those market niche and risks dietary imbalance for your birds.

Cut the scratch, use up your mealworms bag as treats, and if the dark orange/red cast to the eggs is very important to you (its mostly, but not entirely advertising too - depending on what is causing the coloration), you can alternate the mealworms treats with treats of canned salmon, spent shrimp shells (think boil, peal, and eat - but not ones seasoned in a ton of Old Bay!, watch the salt), dark green leafies (kale, spinach, chard), cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash and zucchini. As TREATS, and alternate.

Or simply do what most of us do, and offer an all flock formulation all the time with free choice fresh clean water, oyster shell, grit in separate containers.

Thank you for this. It was very helpful. I didn’t intend to “make my own feed” but I guess that’s what it seems like. This morning I just gave them their layer feed and they wanted no parts of it. I’m guessing it’s because I basically spoiled them by putting extras in it. I’m going to go out at lunch and check and see what they’ve eaten. My aunt, who has chickens, suggested watering down (not fermenting) some feed and give that to them.

I also plan to get some kale, cabbage, and other greens and give that to them as some treat instead of the mealworms. I will give them a few but not so much. I have apples here too but I don’t want to do too much of that because of the sugar.

 

[Cindy in PA]

What are the crumbles. layer crumbles? Everyone jumped to scratch, so low protein & I read crumbles which would be higher protein. I would only cut back on the mealworms if the crumble is either layer or all flock.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What are the crumbles. layer crumbles? Everyone jumped to scratch, so low protein & I read crumbles which would be higher protein. I would only cut back on the mealworms if the crumble is either layer or all flock.

They said crumbles and mealworms together, as well as scratch in the mornings