I'm not happy.

[PortageGirl]

cat food is ok for short periods of time or as an occasional treat, they do love it!

Dog food is generally a no-no because it has too much sodium in most formulas. (again, in an emergencie maybe for a few days or if they steal a bit from the mutts, oh well, just not in a steady diet)

If you want to boost protein, get some flock raiser and add some to the layer mix is my recomendation. It's what I do if a lot of em are molting, (which mine are right now)

now you've got MY 2 cents too! what'cha got in your pocket NOW?

sure can get lots of opinions here!~

//edit// oh yeah, I agree with those that said that 14 eggs a day isn't too bad just now, but like I said, mine are moulting pretty bad right now.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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Wow, awesome link! I'm happy with my 16 a day from 20 pullets, but this is great info that I will save for future reference. Thanks Neil!!!

 

[L*A*G*]

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cat food is really only needed during molt, 16% to 18% protein other wise, there is a lot of things that effect lay. light, protein, light, strain of bird. you can have leghorns that don't lay worth beans, its depends on a lot of things

one of my old birds is molting, do i need to feed her/them some now? how much? i've always givin them %16 lay, is that a mistake? sorry if i ask to much.

 

[cybercat]

What breeds do you have that is what makes the differance in protimn amounts. 14 eggs from 22 hens is rather good as hens do not lay 7 days in a row. You always have a few taking a day off. I would not worry about the cat food but i would buy some flock raiser to add to your layer if you have moulting going on or you have the duel purpose breeds. Cat food is a booster only and only if you can not get protien up in some other way. With Flock Raiser so easy to get it is better to do it with that as you can feed it longer.

 

[packmomma]

Here is my 2 cents. I have 9 laying girls and again it varies..some days I get 9 eggs other times two are taking a break. My average for a week would be about 6 or 7 out of 9. Still waiting for that stinking 10th chicken to lay.

How do you know who's laying....camera!! People think I'm out of my mind when I tell them. I installed a webcam and ran the cord back behind the wall to a laptop. I just record the day and then at night go through and mark my chart. This helps me see who is laying, who sits but doesnt lay, and who is just skimpin on production. Out of 5 different breeds I have to say my Isa Browns are laying the best..going 19 or 20 days without skipping. If they truely are isa browns..one honestly looks like it might be a RIR but I dont have one to compare it with.

I try to keep my egg production good by feeding layer feed and also giving scratch, extra veggies from dinners, oyster shell and the dog exercises them regularly..no fat birdies here! I guess I exercise them too cause they always run to me even when I have no food..lol Anyway I turn on a coop light at 7:30 am along with my camera and then shut off the light at 9pm. I do have one chicken who lays at like 6am but I know her eggs from the rest so I know who it is. They are HUGE and creme colored..no one else compares.
I find the light helps to keep them laying but I have noticed on colder more rain days..a couple of them dont lay.

Hope that helps! Anyone have a picture of an Isa brown next to a RIR???

oh also I heard that if you dont have a rooster there is always one hen who wont ever lay because she is the "rooster" is this true???

 

[speckledhen]

Cat food has too much salt to feed much of it to birds. Layers are not machines so they vary alot, during molt, cold dark weather, etc. If you want to feed them better feed, I'd avoid sweet feed and corn. That won't up production whatsoever. I feed my breeders Game Bird Breeder/Layena which has 20% protein and animal protein at that or 22% layer when they are molting badly. I alternate with regular laying pellets. And once a week, I feed the breeders canned salmon or mackerel.
Still, my production in the laying flock is down, too, as it is for alot of folks right now. My breeders are doing great, except for one molting blue Orp hen.

 

[captainmoose]

There was a post on chicken behavior and egglaying that addressed this topic yesterday, it was " Just thought I'd share.....I see alot of ?'s on this subject here. by catdaddyfro " look it up

 

[rancher hicks]

Well htat's good to know and I apprecieate all the input. I have slw 3, glw 2, del 7, dom 2 , bo 2 , aus 3, cm 2 , all 7 mos. except 4 Del unknown. The older dels don't seem to be laying I know there eggs. At least not as good as in the past and they are going next spring. I have 2 bant. friz but I don't expect much from them. I see the BO's in the nest pretty reg tho.
Noo light in coop ans it's light about 7:30 and dark at 7m. Expecting snow and it si cold.
They are pastured mostly and I'll check the yard.
Love ya, Rancher

 

[patman75]

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Store this idea in the memory banks for future use.