Help with chicken diet

[Painted Calls]

I'd give one feed (crumble or pellet), offer oyster shell on the side if you prefer to stick with 18% (They absolutely don't need 20 - especially if you're concerned about a fatty liver), and offer it free choice, feeding twice a day. If it lasts between feedings, then great. If not, they'll be getting fed a second time so they'll be okay. I feed twice a day. Sometimes there's leftovers, sometimes there's not.

How much exercise do they get?

Hens at risk of fatty liver need a lower protein (like a 16% layer) and a low carb diet. I would imagine the meal worms plus all that protein is what caused the fatty liver in the Orp. Genetic disposition along with activity level also likely contributed.

 

[Painted Calls]

Sounds like they don't free range much. How large is their run? How many hens are in it?

 

[NatJ]

I am sure you’re right. Just not sure how safely and sanely do more of that since it requires constant supervision. We will keep trying to figure out ways.

They can exercise in their run, too. Scratching and foraging are definitely forms of exercise.

Some possibilities:

You can give them part of a bale of hay, and they will pull it apart and spread it around. They will eat a bit of the hay too, but that will not provide enough calories to be a problem.

Or you can give them a clump of sod, and they will eat the grass and scratch apart the roots.

Or you can give them a pile of dry leaves (usually available in the fall), and they will scratch around in those for a long time.

Depending on what surface they have in their run, you may be able to turn it over with a shovel and get them scratching that way.

They like to scratch around to find food, but all of these ideas will provide a lot of scratching with not much food, so they get exercise without getting fat. (I do not recommend "scratch grains," which usually provide a lot of grain with not much scratching.)

 

[AZDesertChick]

Sounds like they don't free range much. How large is their run? How many hens are in it?

They don’t free range much. We have a small urban lot, but one with lots of hawks and we have coyotes, javelinas, and even an occasional bobcat through the neighborhood. We have 4 adults in a 130 square foot enclosure. It has 3 perches, a stump, and a wooden sawhorse that they jump and down from throughout the day. We have a larger (400-ish square foot) space we can let them out into with supervision. We try to do that at least once a day but don’t always get a chance.

 

[AZDesertChick]

They can exercise in their run, too. Scratching and foraging are definitely forms of exercise.

Some possibilities:

You can give them part of a bale of hay, and they will pull it apart and spread it around. They will eat a bit of the hay too, but that will not provide enough calories to be a problem.

Or you can give them a clump of sod, and they will eat the grass and scratch apart the roots.

Or you can give them a pile of dry leaves (usually available in the fall), and they will scratch around in those for a long time.

Depending on what surface they have in their run, you may be able to turn it over with a shovel and get them scratching that way.

They like to scratch around to find food, but all of these ideas will provide a lot of scratching with not much food, so they get exercise without getting fat. (I do not recommend "scratch grains," which usually provide a lot of grain with not much scratching.)

Thanks for the ideas. We getting ready to try a sod patch. Part of their run has flake and they do scratch around in that quite a bit. I’ve thought of sprinkling something treat-ish in the flake to encourage the scratching, but safflower seeds seems counterproductive and most every thing else I can think of would just get lost or hopelessly covered in flake and gunk (like watermelon chunks).

 

[NatJ]

Thanks for the ideas. We getting ready to try a sod patch. Part of their run has flake and they do scratch around in that quite a bit. I’ve thought of sprinkling something treat-ish in the flake to encourage the scratching, but safflower seeds seems counterproductive and most every thing else I can think of would just get lost or hopelessly covered in flake and gunk (like watermelon chunks).

You could try things like carrot peels or bits of lettuce or grass clippings, that have few calories but are still fun for the chickens to eat. If the point is to have them exercise, it doesn't matter if they bury it and re-find it many times. (I suggest carrot peels rather than whole carrots, because that way you can eat the carrot!)

 

[AZDesertChick]

You could try things like carrot peels or bits of lettuce or grass clippings, that have few calories but are still fun for the chickens to eat. If the point is to have them exercise, it doesn't matter if they bury it and re-find it many times. (I suggest carrot peels rather than whole carrots, because that way you can eat the carrot!)

We chop greens and sprinkle them all over the run. It does get them moving. Ours tend to not care for carrots so much for some reason, but kale, cabbage, collards, etc. even parsley and cilantro are always a hit. We live in the desert, so there is no grass to clip (we’re also struggling to get a sod patch to live long enough to be of any use).

 

[NatJ]

We chop greens and sprinkle them all over the run. It does get them moving. Ours tend to not care for carrots so much for some reason, but kale, cabbage, collards, etc. even parsley and cilantro are always a hit. We live in the desert, so there is no grass to clip (we’re also struggling to get a sod patch to live long enough to be of any use).

OK, it sounds like you're already doing pretty much what I was thinking of.

Yes, green things should be good in this case-- not many calories, but the chickens like them enough to go get them!

 

[sandburRanch]

I am sure you’re right. Just not sure how safely and sanely do more of that since it requires constant supervision. We will keep trying to figure out ways.

If you are in a location they could run free in the evening for even 30 minutes before roost time with supervision from preditors that would benefit . Daylight savings time may benefit in that respect . No need to be concerned with them going back at roost time , they will return then if gates and doors remain open .

 

[AZDesertChick]

If you are in a location they could run free in the evening for even 30 minutes before roost time with supervision from preditors that would benefit . Daylight savings time may benefit in that respect . No need to be concerned with them going back at roost time , they will return then if gates and doors remain open .

That’s what we’ve been trying to do, but with work, family, and some home renovations, it’s been challenging for the past 4-6 months to have the time to supervise them. Clearly, I just need to carve out the time and just do that every day. Thanks!