How can I make my hens produce more eggs?

[Farmergreen]

Ok so you don't have a pasture.
Build 3 runs and alternate grazing these runs. They don't need to be large 3' by whatever length you can make them. I do this for my OEGBs They have to be seperated from the rest for breeding purposes If you live in town sacrifice a flower bed, put one in the alley etc. Also free range for them. Go somewhere and pull some weeds from the road side or other areas not kept cleaned of weeds.
Now if you live in the city and are keeping as many birds as I do that can be a problem, Most city people only have a few.
Got kids or grandkids. Make your foraging a family time. Just get some grocery sacks and go pull some grass.

How I feed :
15% lay pellets availible 24/7 (less waste than crumbles)
Alfalfa Hay feed small amounts every other Day they will eat seed and leafy parts ( extra protien)
mixed grain buy seperate and mix or look for a mix. (Be sure it is untreated) easy on the corn you can get to mush protien
Fruit & Veggies You can feed most Table scrapes ( No meat or uncooked eggs, dried out shells are fine.)
Ostyer shell Mix with pellets or make availible 24/7 They will eat what they need of this.
Free Range Bring it to them at least once a week more often if possible or open the gate every day
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE THEIR BODIES LIKE OURS IS MOSTLY WATER on freezing days I check water constantly.
Extra helpings of love Talk to them name the ones you tend to recognize. Try it ! this is very calming for me as well as the Chickens


Don't get me wrong I'm not a Tree Hugging Nut but I do know most of our and our animals health problems are caused by all the additives, preservitives junk food and medicines with side effects worse than the disease that we put in our bodies. I just believe we shouldn't put anything in us or our animals that is not a natural part of our diets. Hard to do all the time I know. But less of this stuff can only be better for us all.

I have all the latest convenieces, Cars, pickups, Riding mowers, Electricity, running water, and indoor plumbing LOL. You can have the modern comforts and still make less of a footprint by being conservitive with using them. I keep my animals as comfortable and happy as possible and I am going to keep myself comfortable also without killing myself or them with to mush comfort.

MIke

 

[rancher hicks]

A lot of posts but I'll jump in here.

Not all chickens are equal even among breeds. There are production birds even among the purebreds and these are sometimes called "terminal" meaning they have a laying age and after that they're culled. The op mentions them being not more than two. Two to three may be it for these birds. Production drops off in all breeds. However the Nov. issue of PP mentions that while "production" breeds lay more over a short period of time, purebreds lay for a longer period which may equal the short period of productions birds. At least if I understood things right.

Second chickens need the right feed to produce. Layer feed has everything they need. Everything. Corn and scraps and treats are not necessary for them to produce or live. Commercial feed is designed to provide everything for a healthy chicken. Sure you may reduce your feed costs but unless the "extra" things you feed your flock is better or equal to the commercial feed it will show up somewhere. In appearance and/or production.

Most folks don't bother to read about the feeding of the flock as much as the personality of the breed. Feeding the extras is fine as long as you realize production will suffer and if you depend on a certain amount of eggs each day, you might consider dropping the extras.

Hope someone gets this far into this post.

Rancher

 

[ams3651]

I had read in an old time chicken farmers book to make sure they get greens year round. Im not getting any eggs much at all and I just remembered the last 2 years I fed them greens and got about half. I just bought a big bag to take out to them.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Chickens are omnivores, why wouldn't you feed them meat?? Get a good feed over 16%, with animal protein or fish meal in it & they will be fine.

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

LAYENA - LIGHT - LOTS OF WATER ( AT 50 TO 60 DEGREES )

I have been fighting with my 40 to get on the ball or go to the soup pot.
I went back to the pellets of layena and it was like a light switch, then I fixed the water to keep the water warmer then just above freezing and it doubled the production.

 

[Farmergreen]

Totally agree with Hicks. I give the extra's very sparingly If it's not eaten in a matter of a few minites I cut back. They don't need it I agree but we all like a cookie now and then.
As for the meat thing uneaten meat left in the pen will draw predators. A big ole skunk will kill every chicken on the place just for the Hell of it

 

[Cindy in PA]

Most of us understand that extras are to be 10% or so of the diet. Meat has a purpose & ups the protein. Grains are readily eaten and keep my hens from eating the commercial feed exclusively, which is high in soy. There is NEVER anything left in the run after dark, that is just common sense. If feed makers would increase the protein of their "complete" feeds, we wouldn't have to worry about giving greens etc. and watering down the protein.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

My chickens get fresh water everyday all day, and recently a big cup of yougurt a day, ( which has a lot of protein, about 20%, and good bacterias that help along their digestive systems), because we already have several bags of 16% protein crumbles, and I needed to add some more protein. Also, they get the table scraps which isn't much, but is sometimes fish skins, heads, etc. and bits of leftover meat. And the several bunches of radish leaves every few days with some other small tid bits. The light was my main problem I think, as well as cold water, but I am not so much worried now because the days are slowly getting longer, and I guess the extra protein as well as this light made the hens give me an egg or two extra a day. I heard that pepper helps the heart and strengthens the body, also boosting the production. In the summer they free range half the day with a bountiful amount of insects and greens, but right now everything is barren and I would like to save the seeds that are left to grow up as plants next spring. Almost everyday I play/ talk with them a bit, and I'm sure it all helps. Thank you all for giving me other ideas and so do my chickens who got extra goodness in the past few weeks!
Also, I think if I continue giving the hens all the above, and the hens lay as said in the cataloge, they will live a pretty good, long life, because I've read of hens especially Arecaunas that layed well for 5 years and are still healthy.

 

[katita]

I have the same issure...by 9 hens range free with 2 roosters..but they lay eggs in the coop...I need help how should i feed them...because they all eat when ever they want out of the big pot laying pellets with scratch...is mixed together...so the rooster eats pellets too....and i dont get many eggs..please help..thank you..kathy...

 

[Mac in Wisco]

They should have a complete layer ration available at all times. You mentioned laying pellets with scratch. Layer pellets (or crumble, or mash) should, for the most part, be their sole ration. It is formulated with the correct proportion of ingredients to a specific energy level, protein level, and mineral content. When you add scratch to it you are only diluting those proportions.