Flock weight loss

[pvkwltr]

My hens are 7 months old. I started mixing their layer feed with kalmback henhouse reserve 17% feed trying to put some weight on them. They love the kalmback henhouse reserve feed but they have now lost weight and eating twice as much. They are still active although they are not going outside. They are still laying an egg a day. Is just because it’s been so cold that they are losing weight? What is going on? How do I put weight on them? They have prominent keels.

 

[GodLovesU]

Can you post pictures? Do they free-range? Do they have 24 hour access to food?

 

[sourland]

Do you free feed, and how does the analysis of the Kalmback feed compare to their old feed? Do they have constant access to water?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Are you sure the chickens are actually eating the feed? Could rodents be eating it instead?

The problem with feeds like Henhouse Reserve is the chickens can pick out the pieces they like and leave what they don't resulting in them not getting all of the nutrients they need.

If you are not seeing any other signs of illness like diarrhea or mites/lice, I would put them on a nonmedicated chick starter/grower feed and offer crushed oyster shells or eggshells on the side.

 

[pvkwltr]

They have not been free ranging due to cold and snow. Their yard is pretty barren when there is no snow.
I still feed their old food with the kalmbach. I only look at the protein and it is the same.
There are no rodents eating their food. There is no food on the ground under the feeder. I ran out of the hen house reserve for 2 days last week and they would not eat one pellet of the layer feed plain.
I did get them oyster shells last week as someone has ‘weak’ egg shells.
I’ll get some starter grow feed.

 

[pvkwltr]

They do have constant access to water.

 

[pvkwltr]

They have 24 hour access to food and water. Are temps were single digits so there was heat lamp light on all night to keep the water from freezing but it doesn’t warm them or at least not much. I had to add a fish tank heater to the water as well to keep the water outlet from freezing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is the feed a homogeneous crumble or pellet feed or a scratch and peck seed mix? I would only feed a crumble or pellet type feed, since they can pick out the bits they prefer first and may not get all of the nutrients needed. You could feed some 20% flock raiser feed for awhile and put a little crushed oyster shell out for the layers, and they should gain some weight.