Layer pellets & scratch?? Less eggs or more?

[chkncrazy]

Scratch doesn’t have enough protein in it. It isn’t a complete feed. Give the scratch later in the day, when they’ve eaten more regular feed. Heat and hydration also impact laying. Do they have several water stations and is the water cool, and not in the sun?

Yes I have 8 chickens right now and there's 2, 1 gallon(maybe 2 gallon) waterers in the shade.... I'm going to withhold the field until later on also sometimes I've noticed if I wet the pellets they eat it like crazy sometimes I do that as a treat so they clean up the rest

 

[Mvan42]

Great tip... I've also been experimenting with layer pellets I've always fed blue seal layer pellets and have been experimenting with a generic one from Tractor Supply not dumor.... I think it's called production Pride or something like that and it's actually very good nice and light colored and has a good smell to it very close to Layena and blue seal...way betterbthan dumor.

That what I give to mine... never have had an issue with production pride...

 

[chkncrazy]

That what I give to mine... never have had an issue with production pride...

Isn't it fantastic feed? And the pellet size I really like!!!! And you can't beat the price..

 

[chkncrazy]

I bern withholding the scratch grains...ill update on what happens...

 

[chkncrazy]

Still no eggs from the dixie Rainbows its been almostba week... nit sure if it the hot weather... scratch grain...the breed or all lol....never had thesenas layers before although if heard they lay well...and did at first!

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Just let them lay when they can. Overlaying can kill a hen so having breaks is good for them. It might be the hot weather, but it’s probably a mix of all of it. Just relax and wait for some eggs.

 

[chkncrazy]

Just let them lay when they can. Overlaying can kill a hen so having breaks is good for them. It might be the hot weather, but it’s probably a mix of all of it. Just relax and wait for some eggs.

it's not so much the eggs I'm worried about is I'm trying to test out a new dual-purpose breed and they only laid a few eggs when they started and that was it, I am well acquainted with like 12 different breeds but I was trying out a new one and so if it doesn't work out I know what to keep for meat and what for eggs next time... the past 28 years I've had chickens I haven't been too adventurous trying out new breeds until the past few years lol and now I know why I think my other ones are laying great thankfully

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

it's not so much the eggs I'm worried about is I'm trying to test out a new dual-purpose breed and they only laid a few eggs when they started and that was it, I am well acquainted with like 12 different breeds but I was trying out a new one and so if it doesn't work out I know what to keep for meat and what for eggs next time... the past 28 years I've had chickens I haven't been too adventurous trying out new breeds until the past few years lol and now I know why I think my other ones are laying great thankfully

Dual purpose breeds can be a hit or miss. What breeds are you comfortable with?

 

[chkncrazy]

Dual purpose breeds can be a hit or miss. What breeds are you comfortable with?

I've had real good experiences with speckled Sussex... leghorns but that's not real do a porpoise... amberlinks, australorps, my first flocks were barred rocks and Rhode Island red the Heritage Type 4 years and years and I just grew tired of them and now I have a couple Whiting blues and Easter Eggers I do it mostly for egg color and then something to do when they get on with age also I started getting tired of boring colors I used to have red sex links but then they would get egg bound after 8 months and one-by-one started getting egg peritinosis... that sucked so imsaid nommore sex links lol

 

[RoosterML]

I'm thinking because they're not getting enough protein? Not sure but when they were eating just a layer feed I was getting tons of eggs but it's also gotten very warm here in Connecticut lol

Your right it’s been pretty hot here in CT. Might be the stress from the heat. I would definitely not give them the scratch on a regular basis. I’ve had a 25 lb bag lasting me at least 6 months now. With free range they are getting plenty of treats.