New to BYC chickens stopped laying

[U_Stormcrow]

OK, assuming each of those ingredients weighs the same at a given volume (they don't, but it should be not terribly far off), and assuming they are of average quality (consistent with the expectations of feedipedia.org) where specific protein amounts are not offered, that recipe is in the range of:

Low protein, high fiber, high fat. The amino acid profile is fine, in terms of ratios, but the various targets are missed - about 33% shy on each. Which sort of makes sense, as your total protein is around 13%, which is less than even the EU uses in combination with synthetic amino acids.

I would not expect birds to thrive on that feed.

 

[MicahAnn]

Her chickens have thrived for a long time on it. What would you suggest adding?

 

[aart]

Here’s the recipe she sent me
NOTES

Chicken Feed made Jan:

54 servinas

Oats -56 cups https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/...hulls-animal-feed-organic/11712?package=GP034

wheat - 56 cUPS https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/...-wheat-animal-feed-organic/7134?package=GP073

Field Peas - 24 Cups https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/...-peas-animal-feed-organic/17274?package=GP559

Barley 16 cups https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/...arley-animal-feed-organic/11698?package=GP168

Milo - 32 cups https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/...rghum-animal-feed-organic/24934?package=GP847

Black Oil sunflower feeds - 32 CUpS
All mixed together in a tub. And I’m in Idaho. It has snowed, rained and been cold on and off the last month.

No 'poultry premix' with the vitamins/minerals/amino acids that are essential?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Her chickens have thrived for a long time on it. What would you suggest adding?

Does she free range them? Free ranging adds "the great unknowable".

I'm going to ignore "thrive". Most don't have any birds to compare with, so assume that the lack of obvious failure is in fact "thriving". Meaning no offense, its simply the way our brains work. The science says that birds raised and maintained on such a diet will never perform to potential - reduced egg size and reduced frequency of lay, reduced total body weight, slower to grow, slower to complete molt, less robust immune system. But unless very accurate records are kept, many of those things will escape notice, it will simply be "how those birds are". i.e. "Normal for them".

and I'm not fond of "home brew" recipes, its too hard to make an optimum diet at home. Even less fond of all grain/seed diets - they lack a concentrated animal protein source, so the Methionine levels are always low, and many try to "juice" the total protein with the addition of BOSS - which has a decent AA profile but massive amounts of fat.

If I were to try and fix that recipe (and I'm not a chicken feed scientist/nutritionist, just a guy who has read some things) - I'd look to reduce the BOSS and substitute in an animal protein (such as fish meal) and/or a different legume, such as soy meal or alfalfa meal while also cutting the presence of the field peas somewhat. It would take considerable effort to get it anywhere close to "optimal" - and appears to have been constructed with certain dietary conditions considered.

 

[MicahAnn]

Does she free range them? Free ranging adds "the great unknowable".

I'm going to ignore "thrive". Most don't have any birds to compare with, so assume that the lack of obvious failure is in fact "thriving". Meaning no offense, its simply the way our brains work. The science says that birds raised and maintained on such a diet will never perform to potential - reduced egg size and reduced frequency of lay, reduced total body weight, slower to grow, slower to complete molt, less robust immune system. But unless very accurate records are kept, many of those things will escape notice, it will simply be "how those birds are". i.e. "Normal for them".

and I'm not fond of "home brew" recipes, its too hard to make an optimum diet at home. Even less fond of all grain/seed diets - they lack a concentrated animal protein source, so the Methionine levels are always low, and many try to "juice" the total protein with the addition of BOSS - which has a decent AA profile but massive amounts of fat.

If I were to try and fix that recipe (and I'm not a chicken feed scientist/nutritionist, just a guy who has read some things) - I'd look to reduce the BOSS and substitute in an animal protein (such as fish meal) and/or a different legume, such as soy meal or alfalfa meal while also cutting the presence of the field peas somewhat. It would take considerable effort to get it anywhere close to "optimal" - and appears to have been constructed with certain dietary conditions considered.

Ok! Thank you for the information!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

At your cost per pound (looks to be about $0.80)? there should be some commercially formulated Organic/Non-GMO feeds available in a similar price point. Scratch and Peck and some of the Kalmbach feeds are both popular among some on BYC, and offer some of the options the above recipe suggests you (or she) might be seeking.

I would recommend fermenting any whole grain feed, in part to help minimize the chickens picking out favorites and leaving the rest to birds lower in the pecking order. Also helps ensure that the fine dust at ther bottom of the bag (actually mostly a vitamin/mineral pre-mix) actually gets consumed, not wasted.

 

[Mrs. K]

I really question short term diet and laying. I think it is much more likely they either have a hidden nest, or just quit do to a strange place. When I get new laying birds, it is not uncommon for the birds to lay for 2-3 days, then take a break of several days and then start up again.

Mrs K