ok, is grower food ok for layers?

[thndrdancr]

Well I posted my chickens wont eat their layer food. Its gettin down to desperation time, my EE is starving herself. Her poop this evening was this big . ok, well better than that, but I know how much these girls eat and they are NOT eating this crap. So will grower be ok? I thot slowly integrating, etc, would work but its not, they just WONT eat it.
They will eat the grower, lots less calcium tho.

Will it be ok as long as I have oyster shell, etc?

Jill

Went out to Orschelns to buy some food an they were closed for inventory.

11 miles across town and CLOSED. Arghhhh!

 

[BeckyLa]

Yes, they'll be fine if you supplement with oyster shell. But I'm wondering why they won't eat it. Have you smelled it to see if it's bad? Sometimes you can get a brand new bag and the feed's bad. Or try switching brands, just get a small bag and try it to see. There has to be some reason, something is wrong if they are starving rather than eat good feed.

 

[thndrdancr]

Thats the problem, I cant switch brands, cuz all they offer here in other brands or at TSC is 50 lb bags.

I think they might have mannapro in smaller bags, but heard someone say their chickens wouldnt eat that.

I mixed it in very small proportions and they ate it reluctantly, but when I started mixing it in a lil heavier, they just couldnt cotton to it.

I smelled it, looked it over, tasted it..

seems ok to me. lol off to fix some rice and hard boiled eggs, I wasnt giving her goodies cuz I wanted her to EAT but this is ridiculous, I am worried now

 

[aimee]

I have layer from Bomgaars (sp?) and my five girls love it.

I live about 40 minutes east of Lincoln, straight east on highway 2 to Union, then north for about 5 miles. If you want to drive over tomorrow and get a little to try, you're more than welcome.

I'll be home pretty much all day tomorrow, but then I'm flying to Raleigh, NC to tape a tv show for a couple of days. But my DH will be home in the evening both nights.

 

[speckledhen]

Jill, I dont know why they won't eat the layer except that they are truly creatures of habit and hate trying new things. You can feed the grower and supplement calcium, but be warned that some may not eat enough free choice calcium to help their shells. I had that problem while feeding all purpose feed to the group because I had some youngsters. One hen in particular must not have been eating her oyster shell at all and her egg just broke in my pocket when I reached in for it. Yuk. I now have them back on layer since my youngsters are 17 weeks old this week.