what do you all recommend?

[Princess Lay- A]

I have a flock of 6 hens that are 10 months, i currently feed layer feed (16%) and Starter feed( 22%) Fermented. I get my feed from a mill and my girls are happy and healthy - I offer OS and Grit on the side. My Barred Rock is going thru her first molt Now! .My question is can I omit the layer feed and just feed Starter ( keeping OS on the side of course). Is it safe for them not to have layer feed at this age and moving forward?. I'm not sure what to do. Everything I've read says they need layer feed for the eggs. HELP ME DECIDE OH WISE ONES!!!!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I feed a meat-based starter to everyone because I have roosters and older hens and game hens that don’t lay a ton of eggs. They get oyster shell on the side and I do fermented starter (Chickhouse reserve) most of the time as well and mix it with the other starter which is a crumble so they have a nice mash and less dust. I haven’t fed layer feed in years. Lots of folks here do all-flock or starter with OS on the side.

 

[Bsmac]

I feed Kalmbach All flock (20 percent ) with crushed oyster shell and grit on the side as we have about 4 different age groups in our flock. Works well! I have seen a noticeable difference since switching from a layer to the all flock! Birds look healthier. Quicker feather regrowth during a molt for one thing! Very good egg production too with nice thick shells! Layer feed not needed!

 

[DobieLover]

My question is can I omit the layer feed and just feed Starter ( keeping OS on the side of course). Is it safe for them not to have layer feed at this age and moving forward?.

I've never fed layer feed to my flock. Ever. My oldest hens will be 8 years old in the spring and were still laying last fall.

Just keep them on the starter feed and feed 50/50 with an all flock type feed at 18% protein to land them closer to an average of 20% protein. That is exactly what I do. I put 18% starter crumble in feed troughs and ferment 22% broiler mash and feed it in a large heated dog bowl that is plugged in during the winter to keep the mash from freezing.

Always have OS on the side. I keep it in 2 high traffic locations at eye level and top up regularly.

Everything I've read says they need layer feed for the eggs.

The pullets/hens need a quality balanced diet year round to thrive. They need excess calcium ONLY when laying eggs in order to form the shell. When forced to consume the excess calcium that is part of all layer mixes when their bodies do not need it puts a strain on their kidneys to eliminate it from their blood.

 

[Ahoragi]

I've never fed layer feed to my flock. Ever. My oldest hens will be 8 years old in the spring and were still laying last fall.

Just keep them on the starter feed and feed 50/50 with an all flock type feed at 18% protein to land them closer to an average of 20% protein. That is exactly what I do. I put 18% starter crumble in feed troughs and ferment 22% broiler mash and feed it in a large heated dog bowl that is plugged in during the winter to keep the mash from freezing.

Always have OS on the side. I keep it in 2 high traffic locations at eye level and top up regularly.

The pullets/hens need a quality balanced diet year round to thrive. They need excess calcium ONLY when laying eggs in order to form the shell. When forced to consume the excess calcium that is part of all layer mixes when their bodies do not need it puts a strain on their kidneys to eliminate it from their blood.

I have a question about this. My chickens do not seem to eat crushed/crumbled oyster shells but they consume blended/crushed egg shells like they are starving. I cannot provide enough crushed egg shells to eliminate the layer feed (currently 50/50 layer feed/starter mix). Any other suggestions besides oyster shells or is there a better type of oyster shell than what's available at TSC/Rural King?

 

[nuthatched]

I have a question about this. My chickens do not seem to eat crushed/crumbled oyster shells but they consume blended/crushed egg shells like they are starving. I cannot provide enough crushed egg shells to eliminate the layer feed (currently 50/50 layer feed/starter mix). Any other suggestions besides oyster shells or is there a better type of oyster shell than what's available at TSC/Rural King?

Can you get flaked oyster shells? Mine prefer those.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Agree with others, layer feed not needed. I feel it was designed for commercial battery hens, Leghorns, which pop out an egg a day for two years until they are dispatched, probably for dog food. Our backyard hens don't lay like that so they don't need all that calcium. I feed Feather Fixer 20% now, simply because it's available in pellets, which All-Flock (also 20%) is not. There's far less waste with pellets than with crumbles using our feeders, so that's why. Again, OS and grit, always available.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Everything I've read says they need layer feed for the eggs.

They don't have to have a feed labeled "Layer". What they need are all of the right nutrients. If all they eat is Layer then they will get those nutrients but if they get treats or forage for some of their food in addition to Layer they may not get them all that they need.

The nutrient you should most be concerned with is Calcium. It does not matter where the calcium comes from, feed or some other source. Some of us provide oyster shell. Others provide eggshells. Some provide both. Some don't need to provide anything, they get enough from other sources. Mom and Dad never provided calcium for their hens. Those hens free ranged in limestone country, they got plenty of calcium from the native rock.

You are providing both eggshell and oyster shell. Yours seem to prefer eggshell so they eat that first.

How are your eggshells on the eggs your girls are laying? Are they thin and weak or are they nice and firm? If they are firm then what you are doing is working great. If they are thin and weak then get back to us, we can discuss that further, maybe find out if there is another problem.

My question is can I omit the layer feed and just feed Starter

Yes. Many people do that. As long as the eggshells are fine and the girls stay healthy you are golden.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a question about this. My chickens do not seem to eat crushed/crumbled oyster shells but they consume blended/crushed egg shells like they are starving. I cannot provide enough crushed egg shells to eliminate the layer feed (currently 50/50 layer feed/starter mix). Any other suggestions besides oyster shells or is there a better type of oyster shell than what's available at TSC/Rural King?

Have you tried to get them interested in the oyster shell by feeding it mixed with a treat? For my very first flock of pullets I mixed Greek yogurt into a handful of oyster shell and then put dollops of that on flat stones around their pen. They had already been introduced to the yogurt and I knew they liked that so that encouraged them to eat the oyster shell. Once they got that calcium infusion, I put a dollop of yogurt on top of the oyster shell in the dispensers to encourage them to continue to eat it. I've never had a problem with any of the many generations of chickens I've had subsequent to the originals not eating the oyster shell.

 

[Ahoragi]

Can you get flaked oyster shells? Mine prefer those.

Ordered some yesterday. I have high hopes on this kind as it seems to be like egg shells.

Have you tried to get them interested in the oyster shell by feeding it mixed with a treat? For my very first flock of pullets I mixed Greek yogurt into a handful of oyster shell and then put dollops of that on flat stones around their pen. They had already been introduced to the yogurt and I knew they liked that so that encouraged them to eat the oyster shell. Once they got that calcium infusion, I put a dollop of yogurt on top of the oyster shell in the dispensers to encourage them to continue to eat it. I've never had a problem with any of the many generations of chickens I've had subsequent to the originals not eating the oyster shell.

I always mix the OS with egg shells and they pick out every piece of egg shell and leave the OS. It's quite funny but impressive too. Haven't tried yogurt as that is not something we have on hand but may be worth a try if these incoming flaked OS do not work.

Thanks for the tips.