Feed for Layers

[staceyj]

Im a raised bed, and grow bag gardener. I grow dill parsley cilantro oregano and thyme in big half barrels. Dill and cilantro are the fastest to grow.

I seed heavily. Enough for my family and the chickens.
They love the dill the best I’d say, and go nuts over it. If I’m harvesting an entire barrel at once I’ll strip most off the stems and set them aside. While the tops are drying in the oven, I chop them into 1/2-1 inch long bits and store in a 2 quart Rubbermaid container in the fridge. Then I’ve got about a weeks worth of treats.

Cilantro doesn’t dry well so I just cut a bunch and tear it up for them. Parsley as well.

*The reason why I cut the stems is because I want to avoid any crop impactions.

 

[Athena2344]

I feed gamebird crumble to my chooks and geese, and half gamebird half layer crumble to my quail

 

[Ang87]

Im a raised bed, and grow bag gardener. I grow dill parsley cilantro oregano and thyme in big half barrels. Dill and cilantro are the fastest to grow.

I seed heavily. Enough for my family and the chickens.
They love the dill the best I’d say, and go nuts over it. If I’m harvesting an entire barrel at once I’ll strip most off the stems and set them aside. While the tops are drying in the oven, I chop them into 1/2-1 inch long bits and store in a 2 quart Rubbermaid container in the fridge. Then I’ve got about a weeks worth of treats.

Cilantro doesn’t dry well so I just cut a bunch and tear it up for them. Parsley as well.

*The reason why I cut the stems is because I want to avoid any crop impactions.

Thank you for the clarification about the stems and the tips about the drying of the cilantro and parsley.

I for sure feel myself going in this direction with all the herbs. I garden a bit with my kiddos already.

 

[lazy gardener]

I use layer pellets unless my flock has babies. Then they all get multi flock or unmedicated starter. Regardless of type of feed being used, I offer oyster shell on the side, and recycle my egg shells back to the flock. During snow season, I sprout seeds/grains for the birds. Last year they got barley, BOSS, and occasionally, some millet. I also offer grit during the snow months.

My feed is always fermented, except when winter temps never get up to 20* during the warm part of the day.

Feed is further supplemented with free range, and deep litter management. I only use scratch grain to entice the flock back into the run when that is necessary.

 

[aligarysmom]

I am still feeding my girls chick starter as they are 10 weeks- about. I have started a mealworm farm but I have found that it’s taking a little longer than I would like. I have looked into crickets because they are so easy but expensive. And I do think they may be faster. I tried a worm bin but I didn’t get near enough worms to start the bin. So I will be starting that again this summer. Or soon. I sprout barley for them and have barley grass growing for them in containers. I will get larger flats for them for winter so they have fresh greens.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Now, sometimes I see “added omega” or “added oyster” and such. Is this a selling point, or is there significant qualities added to be sufficient for the price difference? I’m thinking whatever “extra” they advertise would be better on the side, such as much of you are doing with the oyster shell.

I think the most important thing to look for is Protein amount.
In my experience, a Backyard Flock is better behaved and their appearance is improved with a feed that has 18 to 20% Protein.
My girls had a 18% Start & Grow feed till point of lay. I switched to a 18% layers pellet at 16 weeks by mixing 50/50 with the starter for 2 weeks, then just the 18% layers feed.
If you give treats or free range a couple of hours a day, a 18 to 20 percent Protein is a better choice than 16 percent Protein feed, in my opinion.
A 18 to 20% Layers feed or an All-Flock, Flock Raiser or even a Non-medicated starter are all good choices.
Buy the freshest and smell the bag in the store. I keep feed in my house at room temperature in a tightly closed bag, and I've had feed that was still fresh smelling at 5 months from mill date, and hens happily ate with no loss of production. Manufacturers say feed stored at room temp is good for 6 months, and I don't doubt it. Read the tag, Preservatives are added to feed.
Feed will quickly spoil in hot humid or damp conditions though, even with Preservatives.
Provide Oyster Shell in a separate container, near the feed. .GC

 

[Ang87]

I think the most important thing to look for is Protein amount.
In my experience, a Backyard Flock is better behaved and their appearance is improved with a feed that has 18 to 20% Protein.
My girls had a 18% Start & Grow feed till point of lay. I switched to a 18% layers pellet at 16 weeks by mixing 50/50 with the starter for 2 weeks, then just the 18% layers feed.
If you give treats or free range a couple of hours a day, a 18 to 20 percent Protein is a better choice than 16 percent Protein feed, in my opinion.
A 18 to 20% Layers feed or an All-Flock, Flock Raiser or even a Non-medicated starter are all good choices.
Buy the freshest and smell the bag in the store. I keep feed in my house at room temperature in a tightly closed bag, and I've had feed that was still fresh smelling at 5 months from mill date, and hens happily ate with no loss of production. Manufacturers say feed stored at room temp is good for 6 months, and I don't doubt it. Read the tag, Preservatives are added to feed.
Feed will quickly spoil in hot humid or damp conditions though, even with Preservatives.
Provide Oyster Shell in a separate container, near the feed.View attachment 1374507 .GC

I’ve officially gotten 20% pellets and grabbed some side oyster shell. (The bird feeder was on sale, grabbed that instead)

Also grabbed a nut/seed/raisins mix until I can start whipping up some goodies <3

Think I’m going to do a sprout box that sets on the ground.

So excited!

Thanks for the reminder about the dates. I really need to be more aware. I stopped buying from our local feed store upon purchasing feed that contained thousands of little black bugs. I store my feed in a plastic container with a lid that snaps. I don’t want anything gettin in there! lol

 

[aligarysmom]

Free bugs!

 

[Ang87]

Free bugs!

LOL! YES! I let my girls out between 7&8 am and I lock em back up as they meander back in around sunset. So funny to watch them chase bugs!

Just had a neighbor (that has tried to turn us in for having chickens numerous times) drain his pool into our backyard We were getting sporadic rain, so hopefully super diluted and won’t affect them. Gah.

I don’t understand how he can have so much disdain towards CHICKENS! lol