laying feed for laying hens?

[fingbob]

I was at a 4H meeting the other day and was told not to constantly feed laying feed to my laying hens, He said it will make them lay too often, they will run out of eggs sooner and it's not good for them to lay that much. He said to switch between laying and flock raiser.

My 23 hens have a food container inside the coop that always has food in it, open yard to roam in (50x130) and don't seem to eat to much "food". They get scraps from us also. What should be feeding them?

 

[Judy]

Many or most people feed only layer, and that's what it's meant for. It would be interesting to know his source for saying this. One part of it is definitely not true. Each hen has a set number of eggs, at birth. If she lives long enough to lay them all, she will stop laying. Also, hatcheries breed for egg production, or laying more eggs sooner. Some experienced people feel this breeding has led to more frequent cases of internal laying, which is not curable except by removing the hen's reproductive system, an expensive and dangerous procedure, if you can even find a vet who will do it.

It is true that layer often does not have a lot of protein, and some people prefer flock raiser because ti usually has more. It also doesn't have enough calcium for laying hens so they will go through more oyster shell. At least, mine did when I fed them grower rather than layer, because I had chicks in the flock. Also, if you have a rooster, layer is not necessarily the best feed for him -- but, again, many a rooster his lived his whole life on layer. I have seen research that seems to indicate they lay better at 14% protein than higher.

If you fed flock raiser without calcium supplement (oyster shelll,) I would think you would get more soft or thin shelled eggs, unless they get enough calcium in your soil or forage. I wonder if this person feels this way because they have observed cases of internal laying, and blame the feed rather than the breeding.

 

[fingbob]

here is what I thought I remember him saying.....

If you continuously feed layers feed it forces them to produce more eggs earlier in there life and they will stop laying sooner because they will run out of eggs (there set number of eggs). If you rotate in flock raiser they will gain s little wait and have a longer life, will gain a little weight and be healthier.

From everything I read I thought what you did. So I just wanted a third opinion, or tenth wouldn't hurt!

 

[Den in Penn]

Layer doesn't have anything in it to force them to lay quicker. The difference is that the layer has more calcium and the flock raiser usually has more protein, both are a balanced diet. A hen will lay the number of eggs at the rate she is going to lay on any balanced diet.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The only real difference in Layer formulations is the additional calcium. That's it.

The statement is ludicrous, in that Layer feed simply does not, cannot make hens lay more eggs. That someone is supposedly teaching young folks such mythology is mind boggling.

If a Grower feed, with matching specs for protein is fed and calcium is sourced on the side, there is no difference whatsoever. Do different feeds from different companies seem to provide better results? Oh yes. Higher quality ingredients often makes a big difference in the health and performance of the birds.

The fallacy is in the statement "makes them lay too many eggs". THAT is fallacious on the face of it.

 

[fingbob]

Many or most people feed only layer, and that's what it's meant for. It would be interesting to know his source for saying this. One part of it is definitely not true. Each hen has a set number of eggs, at birth. If she lives long enough to lay them all, she will stop laying. Also, hatcheries breed for egg production, or laying more eggs sooner. Some experienced people feel this breeding has led to more frequent cases of internal laying, which is not curable except by removing the hen's reproductive system, an expensive and dangerous procedure, if you can even find a vet who will do it.

It is true that layer often does not have a lot of protein, and some people prefer flock raiser because ti usually has more. It also doesn't have enough calcium for laying hens so they will go through more oyster shell. At least, mine did when I fed them grower rather than layer, because I had chicks in the flock. Also, if you have a rooster, layer is not necessarily the best feed for him -- but, again, many a rooster his lived his whole life on layer. I have seen research that seems to indicate they lay better at 14% protein than higher.

If you fed flock raiser without calcium supplement (oyster shelll,) I would think you would get more soft or thin shelled eggs, unless they get enough calcium in your soil or forage. I wonder if this person feels this way because they have observed cases of internal laying, and blame the feed rather than the breeding.

Layer doesn't have anything in it to force them to lay quicker. The difference is that the layer has more calcium and the flock raiser usually has more protein, both are a balanced diet. A hen will lay the number of eggs at the rate she is going to lay on any balanced diet.

The only real difference in Layer formulations is the additional calcium. That's it.

The statement is ludicrous, in that Layer feed simply does not, cannot make hens lay more eggs. That someone is supposedly teaching young folks such mythology is mind boggling.

If a Grower feed, with matching specs for protein is fed and calcium is sourced on the side, there is no difference whatsoever. Do different feeds from different companies seem to provide better results? Oh yes. Higher quality ingredients often makes a big difference in the health and performance of the birds.

The fallacy is in the statement "makes them lay too many eggs". THAT is fallacious on the face of it.

And this is why I bring my questions here. Now it is four to one. I think I will go with you guys!