Layer feed tastier mixed with water?

[Johanna Albertine]

My chickens were hardly touching their layer feed pellets. They free range and also have other food options like scratch, brown rice and various snacks, so they weren’t going hungry. Then one time when it rained they knocked over the bowl with layer feed and the pellets spilled into a puddle of water... and they all started eagerly pecking at it! Since then I’ve been mixing some water into the layer feed, just enough to make it mushy and then crumbly, and they now eat a lot more of it.
I have also started experimenting with fermenting grains, after reading the recent article on this Forum. Barley kernels only took 24 hours to ferment and my hens instantly loved it, cleaned the bowl right out. Now I have to find a place that has whole grains in bulk near where I live. The farm supply store doesn’t carry wheatberries or barley. Any ideas on this?

 

[Percheron chick]

Ferment the layer feed first. Add the scratch if you want. If your feed store does not stock barley and wheat, ask them to pick up a bag for you. They have access to the whole grains.

 

[Johanna Albertine]

Ferment the layer feed first. Add the scratch if you want. If your feed store does not stock barley and wheat, ask them to pick up a bag for you. They have access to the whole grains.

Thank you! I’ll try that.

 

[NatJ]

It's pretty common for chickens to like the feed better when it is wet.

I don't know why, but at least it's an easy thing to do

 

[Kiki]

They aren't eating the layer feed because of all the treats mentioned. Stop all treats.

 

[linguini]

My chickens weren't interested in the layer feed since I switched over more than a month ago. After reading this forum, I started feeding them fermented layer feed with either leftover veges from kitchen or some scratch treats (small amount) everyday late pm, they all love it! But I noticed the last two days the eggs seem to be smaller for all of them (smaller by 3-5g per egg on average). I don't know if this is related to the wet/fermented layer feed ? Does the wet feed fill them up more and they end up eating less?? Any advice?

 

[NatJ]

But I noticed the last two days the eggs seem to be smaller for all of them (smaller by 3-5g per egg on average). I don't know if this is related to the wet/fermented layer feed ? Does the wet feed fill them up more and they end up eating less?? Any advice?

Small eggs sometimes mean a chicken is not getting enough water. But that does not sound likely in this case!

Maybe just give them a few days and see if the eggs go back to normal.
It's pretty common to get eggs that are a bit odd in some way, for no obvious reason, and the hen often goes back to laying normal eggs afterward.

I don't think the fermented feed makes much difference in how full they feel. Dry feed will swell in the crop as soon as the hen takes a drink of water, so if they spend all day eating a bit and drinking a bit, they would usually have their crops full of wet feed anyway.

 

[Johanna Albertine]

They aren't eating the layer feed because of all the treats mentioned. Stop all treats.

Well, I don’t know... They work so hard, foraging, I think they deserve treats. And they are always healthy treats!

 

[Kiki]

Well, I don’t know... They work so hard, foraging, I think they deserve treats. And they are always healthy treats!

Healthy is having a balanced complete diet.
Feeding anything besides the complete balanced feed takes away from getting a balanced complete diet.

 

[NatJ]

They work so hard, foraging, I think they deserve treats.

And they get treats: every bite they find while foraging IS a treat. That's why they do it!

And they are always healthy treats!

If you want a thoroughly healthy treat-- layer feed + water works well!