Layer feed was originally created by a man who wanted to make his chickens lay every day. Since then it has been used by the feed industry to increase egg laying and in most cases provide bare minimum nutrients. A hen’s body was never meant to be force fed calcium or lay every day. They are biologically designed to crave calcium when they need it and take breaks from laying to give their reproductive system a rest. Not to mention most layer feeds are on the low end for protein requirements. I have had chickens for years, I free range, I feed 20% flock raiser with oyster shells on the side and my hens never have health problems. Flock raisers/ all flock are also not just higher in protein compared to layer, but they are also higher in their vitamin content as well and as far as commercial feed goes I find it absolutely superior to layer feed. Vitamin A for example. In Purina Layena crumbles there are 3,000 IU per pound of Vitamin A. While Purina Flock Raiser crumbles have 7,000IU per pound. The vitamin E content in the Layena crumbles is 12 IU per pound while the Flock Raiser has 14IU. I could go on and on.
In my opinion, 16% layer feeds are too low a protein level for laying hens. I noticed my hens' feathers were drab and their eggs were less numerous and of poorer quality when I fed 16%, since increasing their protein content in the feed I feel that they've become healthier and more vibrantly colored. The reason companies do 16% is because it's the bare minimum and it's cheaper for them to produce. The only downside to feeding 18% or 20% feeds tends to be cost and even at that most all-flock feeds are on par price-wise to layer feed. If you'd rather keep them on a lower protein layer feed because of pricing or availability in your area, you can also increase their dietary protein content by supplementing with an occasional treat of cat food or canned meat or similar high protein food. Treats should only be around 10% of the diet, a boost of protein once or twice a week is sufficient enough to make a difference but not unbalance their diet. I also like adding brewers yeast to the food for the B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Do you have a source for this? because that's not close to what my findings are.
Agreed, layer feed just supports laying hens for as little as possible, it doesn't make them lay
I was focused on a single individual coming up with the lack luster feed, but yes, layer feed doesn't make anything lay
I found it when looking through old newspaper archives. Here is a link to the online version- https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/frostonchickens/exhibits/show/chickenfeed/item/28
That's a really neat article, but it doesn't have anything to do with the current 16% layer feed.
How does it not have anything to do with current layer feeds? Early farmers were trying to do the same thing that scientists in the mid 1900’s were then able to narrow down to a science. All modern science is and was built on ideas that started with individuals who noticed a problem. The article is one of the first recorded examples of people trying to maximize their profits by adjusting the feed of their laying hens. When you say “maximize profits by feeding the lowest value feed a bird could still live and lay on” that’s exactly what farmers like the one in the article were attempting to do. Maximize their profits by keeping the chickens alive and laying as much as possible. Is it the exact formulas that are in use today? No of course not, but farmers like the one in the article were just the beginning of what would become today’s poultry and feed industry. The question is then why would we want to feed something that was designed and formulated to provide the bare minimum for our chickens health so profits could be maximized?
