Feeding older hens

[HBRRanchCO]

I would still recommend all flock with oyster shells for the layers.
(I'm such a hypocrite. We have 2 silkies over 7 years old and we still feed layer I'm going to use my persuasion skills to get my dad into buying All Flock)

Haha okay, will consider it

 

[HBRRanchCO]

You're better off housing the all together. One larger coop and run is cheaper, has better ventilation, stays cooler in the summer, has more space to escape a bully then 2 smaller coops. As the older group dies, there will be less stress and interruptions to the group. You could easily end up with a single hen in the older group. Then what?

What we’ve decided to do is modify our existing coop and add on to it. It will still fit where we have it, and we won’t have 2 coops to deal with. If I had a second coop readily available we probably would have just found a way to both up connected, but I don’t. I think what we came up with last night should work well, and give them the space & security that the city mandates, plus some.

 

[HBRRanchCO]

I guess my biggest concern is that the 3 older hens will have enough nutrition on an all flock feed & scratch & veggies (with available oyster shells and grit) if they decide to start laying some eggs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I guess my biggest concern is that the 3 older hens will have enough nutrition on an all flock feed & scratch & veggies (with available oyster shells and grit) if they decide to start laying some eggs.

The difference between an All Flock and layer is a layer is lower in protein and higher in calcium. An all flock is higher in protein, but lower in calcium.

Layer is usually 16% protein which is minimum daily requirements, and is formulated to be fed as the sole ration. Adding anything else daily will often result in protein deficiencies.

An all flock is usually 18-22% protein, which allows some leeway to feeding a few extras without deficiencies. The oyster shells will be consumed as a hen craves calcium.

I see less problems and longer lived birds on an All Flock. I no longer feed a layer.

 

[HBRRanchCO]

The difference between an All Flock and layer is a layer is lower in protein and higher in calcium. An all flock is higher in protein, but lower in calcium.

Layer is usually 16% protein which is minimum daily requirements, and is formulated to be fed as the sole ration. Adding anything else daily will often result in protein deficiencies.

An all flock is usually 18-22% protein, which allows some leeway to feeding a few extras without deficiencies. The oyster shells will be consumed as a hen craves calcium.

I see less problems and longer lived birds on an All Flock. I no longer feed a layer.

THANK YOU That is a fantastic explanation. I'm used to reading feed bags and stuff for horses and dogs but I didn't know what to make of the information specifically regarding chickens.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The thing with a layer is it's a very specific formula to be fed to actively laying hens, and nothing else. The problem I found was it's a one size fits all ration. Not every hen lays at the same rate, or consistently in a backyard flock like a production flock does. So often hen that aren't currently laying are getting more calcium than they need.

There are also times when hens need more protein like during a molt, or through winter and layer ration just can't provide that. I would see feather picking and eating, egg eating, and even chickens picking each other when I fed a layer and fed some scratch. Sometimes they would even start to cannibalize a deceased bird before I found it in the am.

All that stopped when I started feeding an All Flock. I had realized I hadn't seen any of these issues in my bantam flock that was generally fed a non medicated grower most of the year due to chicks in the flock. My bantam roosters in general lived longer too. I made the connection to the layer ration, which was a good quality, but wasn't right for my flock. I now recommend an All Flock to all backyard flock keepers. I do see some feed makers are now making a higher protein layer ration, so that's an option now.

I also don't see the shell quality issues that I used to on a layer and it's very odd to see things like calcium deposits on my eggs which I used to see quite often.