If you just feed hens grain and no layers is it bad for them or do they just lay less?

[dekel18042]

Thanks for the info everyone, I didn't realize layers pellets also had essential vitamins and minerals in it, il carry on feeding it to them then, also I didn't know mealworms were actually bad for them 0.o I thought since they were packed with protein itd be good

they always seem to eat their grain first before going for the pellets so myb il feed the pellets first thing in the morning when they are at their hungriest then grain layer in the day

Feeding mealworms as a treat is fine. Everything in moderation. Overdosing on them is not. If you go waaaay overboard the eggs can have a vinegary taste.

 

[Sire12]

Ah ok, yeah I only feed them as a treat a few times a week, the most common treat they get is boiled spaghetti they love it, there isn't much nutritional value in them so I assumed it would be fine as it won't overload then on any vitamins or minerals etc is it ok to keep feeding it daily? Also I have read that some people add unpasturised ACV to their ferment, other than speeding up the fermentation does it have any other benefits? Because I bought a large bottle of it from the feed store that I'm adding to their water its the kind that has mother in it

 

[lazy gardener]

Spaghetti is extremely low in nutrient value. Even though it's fun to watch your chickens eat the treats you offer, you are shortening their life span and harming their health by giving them such things daily. Consider how much a hen eats to fill her crop. Then consider what 1/10 of that would be: perhaps less than a tablespoon. When giving treats, consider giving them 1 - 3 teaspoons of treats per bird.

Also, when folks talk about free ranging their birds, they often are talking about a manicured yard. While technically, a yard with mowed grass and planted flower/garden beds is free ranging, there is very little in such a yard that would sustain a chicken. Add some wooded areas with deep forest litter, some meadow/field/pasture areas, some plantings that produce high quality forage, and perhaps some fruiting plants, a compost area or other deep mulch/bedding, and you are then coming closer to providing a healthy free range habitat.

 

[Sire12]

Wow really! That sucks I thought since pasta had no nutritional value that it would be fine to feed since they won't be overloading on too many vitamins etc rather than feeding too much protein treats like mealworms oh well I'm glad I know now thanks for the info, certainly don't want to shorten their lifespan

Luckily I do have a large compost area 4x8 feet and myb 6 inches high that I dump my guinea pigs shavings onto they spend alot of their day scratching around in it, but there's no grass or weeds growing they have ate them all, I plan to grow some wheat grass in trays for them though

 

[lazy gardener]

So if they fill up on spaghetti that has negligible amounts of any nutrients at all, they are then not going to eat the feed that will give them what they need.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Wow really! That sucks I thought since pasta had no nutritional value that it would be fine to feed since they won't be overloading on too many vitamins etc rather than feeding too much protein treats like mealworms

oh well I'm glad I know now thanks for the info, certainly don't want to shorten their lifespan

Luckily I do have a large compost area 4x8 feet and myb 6 inches high that I dump my guinea pigs shavings onto they spend alot of their day scratching around in it, but there's no grass or weeds growing they have ate them all, I plan to grow some wheat grass in trays for them though

Vitamin supplements can be bad if overdosed but real food won't overload with vitamins.

I had a friend that thought people needed some filler in their diet. I have no idea where that crazy idea comes from.
Each bite of food should provide nutrition, not filler.

 

[GC-Raptor]

The only treats my 10 month old girls get from me are scratch grains twice a day in temps above 30F and 3 times a day below 30F. What they consume in 10 to 15 minutes, a 1/3 of a cup for 5 pullets each time. They also get cut grass once a day when available, as in not covered with snow. Of course in warm weather they catch bugs and worms which they love, but I would not offer them earth worms as they can give them parasites, from what I have read.
They have unlimited access to layers feed, oyster shell and water. All 3 are in the coop. They have access to granite grit and water under the raised coop, from 5am to sunset.
They get no kitchen or table scraps.
I get 32 to 35 eggs a week and knock on wood, I have not had to medicate or worm.
This works for me and my girls

But is not the only way. You have to find what works for you and your chickens. This pic was taken today of my silly girls eating snow. GC

 

[Sire12]

Aw that's cute xD thanks for the info GC

 

[vtcath]

That's hard for me to judge and they don't necessarily need layer feed, they just need a source of calcium and they could get a starter/grower or all flock type feed. But they should be getting a feed formulated for chickens. Otherwise, you'd have to be a poultry nutritionist to insure they're getting what they need.

The thing about chicken feed is that it is formulated to meet all the nutritional needs of the age chicken it was intended to feed. When one starts throwing treats into the mix, there's no way to determine what vitamins, minerals, fats and amino acids they're getting and in what ratios.

A lot of people do what you are suggesting but if they are pets, I would think you would want them to get optimal nutrition to keep them healthy for as long as possible.

One of our feed manufacturers are now exploring making a feed explicitly for aged hens. The nutritionist told me that it would have enhanced levels of vitamins and minerals that are not as well absorbed as a bird ages.

That would be wonderful! I have a senior flock w just one young EE

 

[BigBlueHen53]

guinea pigs shavings onto

Are the shavings cedar? Cedar is toxic to chickens. They should not be eating that.