What to feed hen?

[Jaguar6]

Hello,

I am desperate for some ''NEW'' advice. I have 8 hens of various ages and various breeds. 2 are currently laying. I bought some hens from a man who has won several expositions. He told me to feed them a mixture of 1 cup of corn, 1 cup of turkey chick feed and 1 tps of laying mix and if I feed them that I would get beautiful healthy chickens. They are beautiful but healthy, I am not so sure. I am seeing a lot of liquid stools around, not bloody (they were treated for coccidosis), but liquid. I am thinking that maybe the mixture has too much protein, that is what another chicken guy told.

If anybody has any feed mixes that are successful let me know.

Thanks,

 

[trilyn]

If you only have two that are currently laying I would go to the feed store and get a grower mix for chickens. You can feed oyster shell on the side for their calcium needs. Blue Seal is a great brand and others swear by Purina, I haven't heard too much good about Dumor feeds from TSC, but they do carry the Purina now. Good luck!!

 

[juliawitt]

I also have mixed ages......I thought I could put out baby crumbles for the babies and layer crumbles for the big girls....and guess what? The big girls ate the baby crumbles and the babies "gorged" on the layer crumbles. NOT GOOD! Too much calcium for the babies and medicated food for the big gals!

So, switched to all purpose flock pellets with free choice oyster shell. Everyone is back on track. I of course, give treats....fresh lettuce and greens are still in the garden and then a little yougurt and cabbage (and scratch) for treats. Everyone seems very happy, healthy and energetic.

 

[purpletree23]

Are you giving them 2 cups plus 1 tsp of food per day? Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly but if that's all you are giving them I would think that 8 hens would be starving to death and that might cause the watery poops. Not getting enough food.

I would get layer pellets and feed free choice (all they want) along with a bowl of chicken grit and another bowl with crushed oyster shell. Do they free range at all? How old are the youngest chickens? If they are 5 months old the young ones can also have layer pellets but if they are younger I would feed everyone grower pellets. The layer pellets have too much calcium for the younger chickens and can cause kidney problems.

Please feed chicken food. It's made for chickens and their special diet requirements. Turkey feed is for turkeys. A little scratch is good but it should be considered a treat and treats should make up only 10% of their entire diet.

I'm sure the chickens are beautiful but so are super models. They are gorgeous because they eat only carrots and egg white and water but they are not healthy.



GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!