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Eggscoozme said:
Someone has a formula on how much a chicken needs, but I forgot it. I've been doing chickens for 5 yrs now. I keep feed out 24/7 (pellet or crumble), and table scraps when I have leftovers I want to give them, so couple times a week. When I sell my adult birds, everyone always comments on how big and healthy they look.
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So it sounds like I am over feeding them then, it could explain the reduced egg production?
 
Hi and welcome to BYC :frow We're so happy you've decided to join us:ya
As a general rule you want to limit treats to no more than 10% of their total diet. It's all about balance. If you have oats in your feed and giving them oats as a treat they could have too much in their diet as oats and barley contain a nutrient blocker. In most feed recipes they limit oats and barley to no more than 15% of the feed with the assumption that we'll be feeding some scratch, etc.
 
Hi, thank you for your welcome .
It seems I have been giving them to many treats. They have pellets available all day but I give them treats twice a day which is obviously why they are not eating enough of the pellets which I have recently read could be why egg production is down. I will change that from now on. Thanks again for your advice.
 
Welcome!

I've had lots of types of birds over the years, but only got into chickens almost 4 years ago. I always keep the nutritious layer feed, a mineral block, a mix of calcium/mineral grit/crushed egg shells from when I make hard boiled eggs (in a plastic feeder since grit will ruin galvanized) available for my birds at all times; so with chickens that would be their pelleted layer feed, and I use a hanging 2 or 3 gallon feeder, there is always layer feed in there for them, and as birds naturally forage most of the day, I think there should always be that healthy kind of feed available. They like their foraging and greens, too, but over the winter that is difficult here, so I do give them some meal worms and a cabbage to peck at, a good sized cabbage head hanging will last about 3 or 4 days, and they only peck at it now and then, so they do eat the layer feed mostly. I also grow chickweed and will grab a hand full once the cabbage is gone, so they eat that fast, gone within 1 minute. If I have some salad greens or veggies left over from dinner, I cut in small pieces and spread on a cookie sheet, and will serve, again it's all gone within a minute, I wait til they're done then take the cookie sheet to wash off and be ready for next time. They like just about every veggie that I do, squash, zucchini, green beans, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, melons, etc. Just NEVER give avocado or citrus fruits, not good for them. Once a week, I will give them some cracked corn mixed with mealworms, I use a small coffee can to measure, on Saturday or Sunday when I am hanging out with them. It's a good time to handle them when you bring treats, sit a hen on your lap, and make sure everyone is doing good. When I rescued some of mine, they had lice and bumblefoot, so now I just handle all birds weekly to not only keep them used to me holding them and be relaxed, but to take that opportunity to see how well they're progressing. I try not to give too many treats in general, a little here and there, but not every day, because I want to make sure they have proper nutrition, since laying eggs daily is a lot of work.
 
Liz Birdlover said:
Welcome!

I've had lots of types of birds over the years, but only got into chickens almost 4 years ago. I always keep the nutritious layer feed, a mineral block, a mix of calcium/mineral grit/crushed egg shells from when I make hard boiled eggs (in a plastic feeder since grit will ruin galvanized) available for my birds at all times; so with chickens that would be their pelleted layer feed, and I use a hanging 2 or 3 gallon feeder, there is always layer feed in there for them, and as birds naturally forage most of the day, I think there should always be that healthy kind of feed available. They like their foraging and greens, too, but over the winter that is difficult here, so I do give them some meal worms and a cabbage to peck at, a good sized cabbage head hanging will last about 3 or 4 days, and they only peck at it now and then, so they do eat the layer feed mostly. I also grow chickweed and will grab a hand full once the cabbage is gone, so they eat that fast, gone within 1 minute. If I have some salad greens or veggies left over from dinner, I cut in small pieces and spread on a cookie sheet, and will serve, again it's all gone within a minute, I wait til they're done then take the cookie sheet to wash off and be ready for next time. They like just about every veggie that I do, squash, zucchini, green beans, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, melons, etc. Just NEVER give avocado or citrus fruits, not good for them. Once a week, I will give them some cracked corn mixed with mealworms, I use a small coffee can to measure, on Saturday or Sunday when I am hanging out with them. It's a good time to handle them when you bring treats, sit a hen on your lap, and make sure everyone is doing good. When I rescued some of mine, they had lice and bumblefoot, so now I just handle all birds weekly to not only keep them used to me holding them and be relaxed, but to take that opportunity to see how well they're progressing. I try not to give too many treats in general, a little here and there, but not every day, because I want to make sure they have proper nutrition, since laying eggs daily is a lot of work.
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Thank you for that Liz, I will take some of that advice on board. Two of my girls won’t let me pick them up, they never have, except at night when in the coop. I have made a few mistakes with feeding my girls it seems but I am rectifying as we speak. they start laying again.
 

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