⠀ Feed during molting.....

[DaveOmak]

My coop and run are lighted 16 hours/day... I plan on a "Forced" molt next August/September or so, depending on natural daylight hours...

Should I pull the Layena from the feeders and change to a High Protein game bird feed for 2-3 weeks.....

I do have free feed amendments available at all times... Granite Grit.... Roasted Egg Shells.... Oyster Shells......

Or... should I add some form of high protein supplement to a Layena Diet... and what might that be....

Dave

 

[DrMikelleRoeder]

We recommend feeding Flockraiser during molting/non-laying periods. It has a little more protein and energy to support feather regrowth, and it gives them a break from high calcium at a time when they are not making egg shells. Flockraiser is 20% protein, compared with 16% for Layena, so it is well-suited to be a molting feed. If you do change feeds, be sure to do a gradual transition, mixing the old feed with the new over a period of a week to ten days, to avoid jolting their digestive system and potentially stressing them. Some birds handle abrupt feed shifts just fine, but some sensitive individuals may develop digestive upset and diarrhea for several days until they adjust to the new feed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The easiest thing is to switch from a layer feed to a slightly higher protein grower feed.
They don't need, nor should they be getting excess calcium while not laying eggs.
Feathers are 90+% protein.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

We recommend feeding Flockraiser during molting/non-laying periods. It has a little more protein and energy to support feather regrowth, and it gives them a break from high calcium at a time when they are not making egg shells. Flockraiser is 20% protein, compared with 16% for Layena, so it is well-suited to be a molting feed. If you do change feeds, be sure to do a gradual transition, mixing the old feed with the new over a period of a week to ten days, to avoid jolting their digestive system and potentially stressing them. Some birds handle abrupt feed shifts just fine, but some sensitive individuals may develop digestive upset and diarrhea for several days until they adjust to the new feed.

OOPS! Thanks! That explains the several cases of diarrhea I got when I switched my molting birds to Flockraiser. I had run out of their regular feed and wanted higher protein as some of the gals look horrid so I just switched all at one time. They've been on it for about 10 days and seem to be back to normal now.

Who would think that any bird who eats worms, bugs, snakes and frogs would get an upset tummy over a change in feed?

 

[jlf1]

I have a question, then, regarding this. What do you do if not all of your chickens are molting....without separating them, how can you feed just the few the higher protein foods

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You really can't. A 16 or 17% protein will still be sufficient but it may take longer for them to recover.
Another option is to stand in the barnyard and when the others aren't looking, toss a piece of fish or something to the molters.

 

[Percheron chick]

I have a question, then, regarding this. What do you do if not all of your chickens are molting....without separating them, how can you feed just the few the higher protein foods

There's no harm in everyone eating the higher protein. Just put the oyster and egg shells on the side. The ones molting have the highest needs and you should be making sure they have what they need to get them through it the fastest.

 

[jlf1]

oh, I like that idea.....'fraud I would get pecked to death if the others saw me do it, but I could easily manage that.

 

[enola]

I feed flock raiser year round in fermented feed style. On the side i supplement calcium. Feeding like this allows me to feed chickens of all ages the same feed. Picking up one bag of feed instead of a bag of feed for my layers, a bag of feed for cockerels and a bag of feed for chicks.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I feed flock raiser year round in fermented feed style. On the side i supplement calcium. Feeding like this allows me to feed chickens of all ages the same feed. Picking up one bag of feed instead of a bag of feed for my layers, a bag of feed for cockerels and a bag of feed for chicks.

I just went to Flock Raiser recently, when my gal's went into serious molt mode. I ferment, as well, and am very pleased with how their molting is coming along. My plan is to continue with the Flock Raiser for the reasons you mention. I have two gal's who seem to always crave more protein than the rest and will fight like crazy for meat and even pick and eat feathers so I'm hoping the increased protein will satisfy their needs.

Good to know that someone else has been feeding Flock Raiser to assorted age/sex birds and is pleased with the results.