I am using the light method and getting less eggs?Add radio=more eggs!

[dancingbear]

Back to the feed part of what might be the problem. 14% is low for a layer ration, I wouldn't feed that to layers at all. 16% is really the lowest protein I'd ever feed layers. That's what I feed in the summer when I have a lot of broodies not laying anyway, and there's a lot of bugs and whatnot for them to eat. Mine free-range, so they get a lot of high protein forage in the warmer months.

In colder weather, I add about 1/4 cup of soybean meal per coffee can of 16% layer crumbles. The also get kitchen scraps, and most days they get a scoop of dry dog food tossed out the back door, they love it.

I keep scratch grain for them as well, but they only get 1 coffee can a day of that, tossed out on the ground around the hen house, and they have fun finding it all. They love it, but it's not real high in protein, so I don't feed much of it. It's mostly for my guineas, who would eat nothing but scratch (and forage) if they could.

Last year we had a no-egg period when we'd been getting some very poor quality feed. We found a new supplier, and when I told my new feed man what problem we were having, he recommended adding the soybean meal. He also suggested switching to a 16% protein pig grower feed, he'd heard other folks say they got more eggs with pig feed. So I tried that, and we were getting eggs again within 3 days. This was from 0 eggs to about 8 eggs in 3 days. Over the next 2 weeks it increased every day until we were getting up to 18 eggs a day. This was with about 23 hens. A few days we got 22 eggs, but usually it was 16-18. I have a number of older hens, and usually have some new ones, too. Mixed breed mutts, no set expectations according to breed, except for a few older Black Australorps and Brahmas.

Right now I have 36 chickens and 13 guineas. Some of the chickens are only half grown, some are older, a couple are downright elderly, and I have 3 roos, at least one of which is soon to go to freezer camp. The chickens are (some of them) still in stages of molting, so eggs are not in abundance right now. But we still have enough for our own use, and sometimes even enough to sell a few.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Dancingbear;
You've got a good point. Had to rethink some myself.
Before it got cold here I was feeding them 100% layer feed. They free ranged during the day.
When it cooled off, started them on about 10% scratch and layer feed with limited free ranging but plenty of light. Always supplemented with a touch of oyster shell or ground egg shell.
Then I eased them into gamebird feed that has 20 or 21% protein, a 50/50 mixture with layer crumbles and some scratch. They never really liked scratch.
Now, its about 40% gamebird 60% layer and a hint of scratch with the usual small bit of shell on occassion.
(They won't eat the feed if there is any scratch on top of it! Snooty things aren't they!)
I get plenty of eggs after a temporary slow down and they are active and happy. They hardly ever go outside unless its sunny and above freezing, and they are not fighting. The little cockerel stays busy too!

The higher protein level seems to keep them content, laying and happy!
Of course they get bread and yogurt as treats and some greens etc.

 

[chicken_angler]

I filled the feeders with a mix of the 16% and the 14%. I am going to put some timers up to turn on at 5 am and shut off at 8 am. Then put the red bulb on another timer to turn on at 5 pm and shut off at 5 am

 

[skeeter]

where did you get your timers?

 

[ooptec]

Hey,

I also leave the light on in the coop from 5AM - 5PM, somewhere I read 14 hrs is better but they already wake me up at 4:30AM and get over a doz a day from about 20 or more of which most have only started laying late in fall (nov).

cheers

 

[chicken_angler]

The timers are just ones that we use for like x-mas lights and other things around the house. I don't know where we got them

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
They really need more than 16% protein, in the winter. That mix will be less. You can add a supplement, dry cat food, even.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Skeeter, I just got one a couple of days ago at Walmart, I'm sure just about any big store would have them, Target, K-Mart, Lowe's, Home dept, and others. I got an inexpensive analog timer for around $6.54, something like that. They carry cheaper ones, but they're out, probably a big demand for X-mas lights. The digital ones are more expensive.

I decided to add a couple hours extra light and see what happens. I just put the timer in the coop last night, I'll see what egg production is like after about a week.

I set it to come on at 5:15 AM, and turn back off at 9:30. By then it's usually pretty bright. It gets dark here at about 5:45, but dim enough the birds go in a little after 4. I don't want to make them lay at peak when some are still in molt, they need proper rest. I figured this way they get between 10-11 hours of pretty good light, rather than a mere 8. More, but not overwhelming. We'll see how it goes.

 

[chicken_angler]

I am going to see if I can get a higher protein food or mix in cat food.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1291080#p1291080

Tell me what you guys think! Thanks!!



Cody!!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Interesting stuff, thanks for the link. I read the whole thread, and followed the link to the treat chart.

She has some very nice suggestions for chicken treats, but it will be a cold day in Hades before I buy lobster for the chickens. If I buy any, I'm eating it myself. I'm not a millionaire keeping chickens for fun.

I didn't know about the amino acid problem with giving cat food to chickens. They do get a handful of cat food now and then, but it's not a steady thing. I don't think small amounts will hurt them, but after reading that info, I wouldn't feed it as a regular part of their diet.

I usually give mine some dry dog food. I don't mix it with the feed, I just call them to the back door and toss out a few cups. I have 36 birds, so I throw out about 5 or 6 cups of kibble. If you mixed it with the feed, the stronger birds would get it all, and scatter the feed all over the place digging out the dog food, and waste the feed.

She also said not to give them citrus, but didn't give any reason not to. I give mine oranges all the time, they love them, and I can't say it's done them any harm.

I also feed raw potato peels. You can cook those easily though, by steaming, baking or putting them in the microwave. I don't have a microwave myself, I don't use them.

She said yellow and other summer squash is good, but not a favorite. Mine won't eat raw squash at all, summer or winter, but love it cooked. I feed mine fruit and vegetable scraps of all kinds, and meat and dairy scraps, too.

BOSS (black oil sunflower seed) is an excellent source of protein, and has the kind of fats that help make feathers healthy and glossy.

You might try the higher protein feed to mix in, and get some BOSS. You want ABOVE 16% protein, in winter I shoot for 18% to 20%. Once you've used up your lower protein feed, (unless you have room and a rodent-proof barrel to store it in, and save it for summer-if your birds get out to range, that is) you could just switch to a feed with the correct amount of protein in it.

I don't think you really have to worry much about chickens getting too fat, unless they're so confined that they don't get adequate exercise. I think that's more a concern with hens kept in really small pens or cages, or those poor concentration camp battery hens. The only birds I've seen get really fat are the Cornish X meat birds, and most people butcher them at 8-10 weeks. They aren't normally kept as layers.