Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[farmer boy]

ya if roosters and hens that are not laying it can lead to kidney failure .. so im friend told me to feed them grower crumble and give the hens the shells so if they need it

opps my friend if roosters eat it they can have kidney failure

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Yes, the hens can have grower and even finish off any chick starter you have left over. I fill a jar full of oyster shell with a little chick feeder attachment and set it in a corner next to the maintainence feeder so it's available all the time. The rest of the time I feed fermented scratch of cracked corn,barley and oats (see the thread on feeding meaties fermented foods) they free range all day. They actually do eat the shell but a ten lb bag has lasted four years. I don't think they benefit from all the extra calcium in the layer as they aren't commercial layers and have a huge variety of nutrients. Chickens are remarkable able to discern what's good for them so any time I can give them that option I do.

 

[Johnn]

is grower food just pellets? and also i have a rooster, does that make a difference on being able to feed them growers?

 

[Johnn]

Im kind of scared to use it, iv'e just read on another thread that it is dangerous to feed to layers...

 

[farmer boy]

right now i was feeding them layer but i stoped so im feeding my hens and roosters meat builder its just like all the other feed but just a step up so ... grower is for younger ones but my friend feeds all her chickens and chicks and roosters grower crumble with the shells so if they need anymore calcium and mine are free rangers so they get everything they need and i feed them treats all the time like berry's that grow outside i go out there and just sit and share mine my rooster is supposed to be all big and bad but he is a baby he comes right up on my lap and sits down and eats the berry's to lol its cute .. have anyone here have a rooster stand up to a raccoon ???

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Im kind of scared to use it, iv'e just read on another thread that it is dangerous to feed to layers...

Grower is not dangerous to feed to layers, dangerous how? There are so many varieties of feed available its difficult to put it into one category. You can ask your local feed store, or compare labels for protein content and added nutrients. Or you can browse the companies and see what they recommend as a standard maintainence formula then add the supplements you think your flock requires. I just don't see much need to add calcium to everybody feed...too much calcium is r/t kidney stones in people so i would think it could also build up in chicken kidneys too..just guessing. Less is sometimes more.

 

[Johnn]

Because on another thread it says the amount of protien is too high for laying hens and can cause them problems like being egg bound

 

[stonykill]

Because on another thread it says the amount of protien is too high for laying hens and can cause them problems like being egg bound

you can't beleive everything you read on the net. You need to try things for yourself and see what works for your flock. Everyones flock dynamics are different.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I would have to research that before qualifying it. I don't know how high protein would cause a hen to be egg bound. This seems more a hormonal internal mechanism with a genetic predisposition to such. Is egg bound really all that common? More often it's a traumatic origin than a nutritional defect, and i would think high levels of calcium might contribute to it, or stress, or injury. Meaties always want more protein but there's a limit to how much you can get...so stick to the lower % and don't add additional protein factors.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

@Johnn: They told me at my feed store not to feed the chick starter to my layers but only because I choose the medicated feed and don't want that passed along in my eggs. Whether they pass along the small amount of Amprollium (sp) in the feed to the eggs or not, I've heard both. I DO give the medicated feed to my broodys that have been sitting longer than 4 weeks (along with eggs). And I DO now separate my layers from my young chicks so they can be on separate feed.


@Achickenwrangler: Do you think that there is a genetic predisposition to having an egg duct prolapse? We just had a hen miraculously recover from this (many baths and a few tubes of Prep H later) and I'm really feeling that although she's quite the looker, she is NOT for breeding. What do you think?