Should I feed my hens scratch or layer feed?

[ChickenCanoe]

I tried containing.It gives a choice,so then,my hens may not lay,be cause they didn't eat it.So mixing it in,they just eat it without providing choice.We also stopped from hearing,too much can cause disease ir sickness,so it depends on how mucch you give them.

Calcium and layer feed doesn't induce laying. Increasing day length, adequate protein/nutrition and lack of stress, induce ovulation.
Calcium in feed merely replaces that used from the medullary bone to build an egg shell. The shell will be built if ovulation happens whether there's a sufficient, insufficient or overabundance of calcium.
If they don't feel the need for the calcium, they won't eat it.

 

[ThePRfan]

It helps egg production,and stronger shells.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It helps egg production,and stronger shells.

The point is that it is used for shell production and expelling of the egg - but the presence or absence of calcium in and of itself does not induce or cause the production of eggs - the production of the egg is entirely separate from the production of the shell.

 

[Areolyn]

Will have to respectfully agree to disagree on that assertion as free choice offering of calcium is commonly suggested by many suppliers, producers and poultry based companies (not to mention numerous poultry men/women). It is often recommended to be fed separately OR mixed with feed, but I have not once seen instruction that feeding separately is recommended against.

As an example:
(from Nutrena)
or

Mixing is used for convenience - it eliminates having a separate container that one has to find room for, keep full, etc - for those looking at a streamlined system of dispensing feed using it mixed with feed is easier - though if they are looking for one feed option it would make more sense to just use a layer ration that has the calcium in the feed since in it is unnecessary to add calcium to such a ration which eliminates the need for oyster shell all together.

Oh ok. But wouldn't it be safer to use a layer feed with correct calcium count or using separate shell? Because you wouldn't want them to 'overdose' on the calcium, right?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Oh ok. But wouldn't it be safer to use a layer feed with correct calcium count or using separate shell? Because you wouldn't want them to 'overdose' on the calcium, right?

And BINGO was his name-o

 

[ThePRfan]

How would they overrdose?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How would they overrdose?

Calcium is not expelled by the body, it is stored. This is why excess calcium in diets can cause kidney damage. "Overdose" would indicate taking in more than needed to support their current state of production (ie layer ration with 4% calcium being consumed by a bird not actively producing eggs at that time) - causing the extra calcium to be stored by the body and resulting in damage.

 

[ThePRfan]

OHthanksn

 

[blucoondawg]

Chickens typically aren't going to overdose on calcium, we have always provided free choice oyster shells, the chickens don't go through it very fast they eat it when they need it. While the amount of calcium is not going to start or stop the laying process calcium is a mineral the birds need in their balanced diet, an improper diet can stress birds and effect laying. I fed layer feed only and my birds weren't laying very well nor were they feathering properly and they didn't look very good, combs were pale and things like that, I added free choice oyster shells and in a matter of weeks the laying greatly improved as did the feathering and combs turned red. This is my experience. I'd rather stick with free choice and let the hens regulate themselves than rely on the feed mix alone

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It helps egg production,and stronger shells.

It doesn't affect egg production.
It replaces the 2.5-3 grams of calcium that make up each egg shell.
Calcium alone doesn't affect the shell because there must also be a proper balance of phosphorus and vitamin D3.

http://www.nutrecocanada.com/docs/s...-formation-and-eggshell-quality-in-layers.pdf

Oh ok. But wouldn't it be safer to use a layer feed with correct calcium count or using separate shell? Because you wouldn't want them to 'overdose' on the calcium, right?

Exactly.

How would they overrdose?

Because 1% dietary calcium is more than adequate to fulfill the needs of most chickens (unless they're building egg shells).
Excess calcium, over what the body needs has to be processed by the kidneys.
The high mineral content damages the kidney tubules and results in abnormal deposition of calcium in muscle, heart, blood vessel walls and other organs that quickly kill the birds.