Not Enough Vitamins?

[BuffOrps416]

I have two Buff Orpingtons that are a year and a half now and every meal (since they were maybe 10 weeks old) I have given them fruits and vegetables, cracked corn, every once and a while some veggie pellets, and occasionally some bread. Recently I have realized that they are lacking vitamins because they haven't been laying often and one of my girls is laying low calcium eggs. I thought their meal plan was fine, but should I switch to purina immediately? And if so which kind (there are sooo many options)?… Also, will it affect them at all if all of a sudden they have new feed?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They have been on a deficient diet for well over a year. It's surprising they are still laying. When you say their eggs are low in calcium, have you had the eggs tested for nutritional value or are you referring to egg shell quality?
If you haven't fed layer feed or provided crushed oyster shell in a separate container then they surely will have an egg shell quality problem. Once the egg shells have a problem, it likely means that the reservoir of calcium in the medullary bone has been depleted and rickets may soon follow.
Thanks to 100+ years of extensive research, we know exactly which nutrients chickens need at each stage of life and at what quantities. A diet of fruits, vegetables and corn won't come close to meeting those needs.
A complete chicken feed intended for specific ages contain all those vitamins, minerals, energy and amino acids in sufficient quantities to keep them healthy and productive.
Unless you get all your corn, veggies and fruit free, chicken feed is cheaper and better nutrition.
There is no need to eliminate fruits and vegetables but they shouldn't make up the whole diet for productive breeds.

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/~chibale/an12poultryfeeding.pdf

 

[RJSorensen]

Brand name to me is of little importance, I would start with a lay crumble free choice and get some oyster shell out there for them to use. As noted above the birds have most likely used up the reserve of calcium in their bones. The items you note as feed, might make a ok treat, not near the required protein healthy hens require at a minimum. I would not give up on them by any means, but remedial feeding should start as soon as you can.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ

 

[BuffOrps416]

Thank you so much for responding. I'm a first time chicken owner so I wasn't sure what to do. Also, when I say calcium deficient eggs, I mean the shells are not as strong as they used to be. They haven't had this problem at all yet, but now that they do, I will go buy layer feed immediately.

 

[chicapee]

Add a container of free choice oyster shell as well. Good luck

 

[BuffOrps416]

I went out a couple of days ago and bought the girls Purina Layena Pellets and they are flourishing already.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good. It's all about the nutrition.