Just thought I'd share.....I see alot of ?'s on this subject here.

[Red&Yellow]

I also love those peanut butter and banana sandwhiches...Going to have to try upping the protein on my EEs.
5 months and no colored eggs!

 

[cybercat]

The reason most chicken feed is low in protien is that it is cheaper to make. If you have a high protien layer and add scratch too it that will lower the total protien amount. So why do it when you need the higher protien for laying chickens. So they can sell you more useless feed. Scratch is not needed at all but it is fun to have it and throw to the chickens as a treat. Just do not mix it with there feed. Only give it once a dy at most uless you want to put fat on your hens which will decrease laying.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I feed my 12 or 13 layers all the laying pellets that they eat in a day about 4lbs. any more and I have to pour it back in the feed barrel at night so the varmints don't come in get them a gut full at night. All my other little whatchamacallits run pretty much wild they get whatever, whenever, usually only at grain feeding time and believe you me they are a waitin' right there on time. So I don't think a 1.5 lbs. of grain twice a day is a lot of grain for 25 or so chickens. I don't mix it all together for the hens to just fill up on and not eat their pellets. I think they lay just fine and they aren't fat fat just really healthy. If they are producing they'll use all the littlie goodies that's in grain it yellows the yolks up or I might say "oranges" the yolks up the way all my egg customers like'm.

I think if they wanted ol' pale, pukey, colored egg yolks, they can get them cheap at the grocery store they got a bunch of them. As far as the fat in the grain they will burn alot of that up out scratching and searching for bugs, grass, and who really wants to know whatever else they eat.

I feed mine grain and all I know it works. I think its a good additve to those old soy meal, fiber filled, barely have enough alfalfa clover in them to make them kinda a greyish-green colored layer pellets.

I'll stick to my ratio (which is not for everyone) of feeding for now, till somebody proves otherwise. Alot of people ask me every winter how do you get your hens to lay eggs all winter. I simply reply I feed mine. Got eggs?

P.S. Don't forget to eat your Peanut Butter and Bananna sandwiches. They're good for ya.

catdaddyfro

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Thank you. I needed this info.

 

[Shiningfeather]

Great information, thanks.

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:

too too true!!!!!

 

[Joyryder]

I thought good rich yolks come from the hens eating green vegetation?

 

[chookchick]

Thanks for sharing your observations! I've always thought that the "layer feed" we buy is probably the cheapest blend you can skate by on. If they free-range they can catch bugs etc....But those of us who use runs have to be sure and provide everything they need to keep popping out those luscious eggs. That's why I'm investigating making my own feed mix. But your tips for upping the protein are great. I read one blog where the guy provides a high protein supplement separately, and he noticed that the rooster eats much less of it than the hens--very interesting!

 

[catdaddyfro]

Joyryder wrote: I thought good, rich yolks came form the hens eating green vegitation?


Yes it sure does right along with bugs, worms, grubs, ect.... All are very high in protien.

I let my hens out of the pen every evening for at least 2 hours or more depending on the daylight. So they can graze and eat whatever they want. There's not a thing in the world you could buy to suppliment what Mother Nature supplies for them.

I even planted an extra row of mustard greens this fall to feed them this winter. I should put that on the You know your country when........? thread.

P.S. Don't forget them Peanut Butter and Bannana sandwiches. They're good for ya.

catdaddyfro

 

[they'reHISchickens]

it's harvest time and we cut the heads of the sunflowers to let them dry. I've been putting one or two heads into the run for the girls to eat but they haven't been thrilled with them. I think we are in the middle of moulting and was expecting they would dive right into the seeds. Perhaps they are waiting until the seeds are dry to eat them? Does anyone else feed sunflower heads?