Feeding Pet Chickens

[dannyd21]

New flock just started to lay their first eggs! They're a flock of barred rocks and buff Orringtons. Now obviously feeding laying hens layer feed is the standard but these are pet chickens for my parents who don't need a factory egg production in their backyard and they want to avoid pushing the hens too hard with laying where like their old flock all died due to egg laying related diseases/cancer.

So basically my question is does layer feed push hens to lay more and if so can a different feed be substituted or replaced where the hens aren't pushing their bodies too hard to lay?

 

[tlcmurphy]

No layer feed doesn’t push chickens to lay more eggs. I and others on BYC prefer to feed All Flock feed and provide oyster shell as calcium on the side. All Flock is higher in protein and I believe better for the birds. I use Kalmbach feed.

 

[nuthatched]

Layer feed doesn't make hens lay, but it supports their ability to do so.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

^x2. I feed all-flock or chick starter with OS on the side because I don’t have high production breeds and I usually have a few non-layers as well (pullets, roosters and old ladies) so the all-flock works better for me.

 

[Folly's place]

Same here. We have birds of all ages, and males, and feed a 20% protein all flock feed, with oyster shell and grit in separate containers. Here it's Purina Flock Raiser, which is fresh (by mill date) where we shop. There are other good choices too.
Mary

 

[SkyAJK]

Over here many big manufactures added linoleic acid in the layer feed, it stated that to make the egg bigger. I am not certain that it does make the egg bigger, but I notice some of the eggs are bigger.

I feed my chickens crumble layer feeds, this particular producer does not added linoleic acid, but I added in pellet which come with linoleic, it is not a choice. I am experimenting with feed on my chickens and they hate me big time!

 

[dannyd21]

No layer feed doesn’t push chickens to lay more eggs. I and others on BYC prefer to feed All Flock feed and provide oyster shell as calcium on the side. All Flock is higher in protein and I believe better for the birds. I use Kalmbach feed.

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

 

[Folly's place]

Birds do hate change, but they will eat oyster shells, if presented in a way they can recognize as food. Here they are in a separate feeder, which i had to move from a back corner of the coop to a spot right next to the door to outside. It made a difference!
The grit feeder is next to the oyster shell feeder, birds go past both every time they get to free range.
Sudden food changes offend them, mixing the new with the old, and gradually replacing the old feed, works fine here.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

What form of oyster shell were you using? The stuff that looks like small rock, or 100% flaked shell pieces? Adding in crushed egg shell can also help encourage them to visit a calcium container.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

No problems, you can get either pelleted or flaked OS, they may prefer one over the other. They only take what they need and it may look like they aren’t eating it at all.