what to feed the non-layers during winter?

[Olive Hill]

No problem. When in doubt though it's always a good idea to NOT pass the information along as a statement of fact... or at all.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Whole grains take longer for a chicken to digest than finely ground grain formed into shapes for chicken feed.

I think a longer, slower digest time can be beneficial for extreme cold and a really long night. I think that's why scratch has traditionally been fed before going to roost. It's maybe of more benefit in the upper midwest, where the winter days are shorter and the temperatures are more extreme.

I still give a bit before they go to roost. I also use lights in the winter though, so they don't have as long a night without food, anyway. They're also fed well all the time. So, they don't really need it. Still, when it's going to be -20 or -30, it makes me feel better.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

I think that's why scratch has traditionally been fed before going to roost.

Traditionally it [Scratch] was fed as a mid day feeding. At Morning and Night feeding they were fed a completed feed (in mash form, sometime moistened with either water or milk).

Chris​

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Maybe it's just me, my family and neighbors, that do it that way. There are a lot of regional differences with chicken keeping.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Yes, but only in the sense that any feed enables a chicken to maintain its body heat.

 

[Felony]

I had the same question as the topic but still not sure...my chickens are 20 weeks old, they have not started to lay, and I don't know if they will until spring since I don't give them supplemental lighting. Should I start feeding them layer's mash anyways, or continue to feed them growers and if they do start to lay, just give them supplemental calcium (oyster shells or crushed eggshells?) with the grower's feed until the bag is finished...I have to order a bag of feed in the next week so i'm not too sure if I should order layer or grower...

 

[Olive Hill]

Just because they're not actively laying does not mean they are still growing. Feeds are formulated for the stage of life. If your birds are no longer growing they do not need rations formulated for growth, you can switch to layer -- which is the stage of life they are in, even if the day length encourages them to wait on the actual egg laying part of that stage.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I think you could do it either way. If they were mine, I'd get another bag of grower and put out oyster shell when they start laying.

 

[Felony]

Quote:
Thanks, that makes sense...

WoodlandWoman...that sounds good too....

so basically, one or the other option should be ok, but at 20 weeks of age they are at their layers' stage of life so it won't be detrimental to their health to feed them layers even if they are not laying yet...

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is no real wrong answer on this as long as you don't go overboard and still feed a "balanced" ration. Layer typically has 16% protein. Grower typically has 16% protein. The only significant difference is the calcium. The Flock Raiser I see is 20% protein. Any of them are fine. My standard when I don't feed Layer is Grower when I can get it, and Flock Raiser when I can't. I always offer oyster shell on the side regardless of what I feed, even when I feed Layer.

Protein is not the only issue. They also need fats, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and different amino acids. Corn, like any other grain, provides many nutrients, but it does not contain all the nutrients in the balance they need. If they free range, they will balance it a bit for themselves, but even with them free ranging I try to not feed a whole lot of any one thing, whether that is a grain, greens, or any one specific garden or kitchen waste.

They can generate heat from anything they eat, even protein. Some things obviously are higher in calories than others. As long as you are feeding a fairly balanced diet, they will manage quite well. I really think a lot of the special things many people do for their chickens are for the people's benefit rather than the chickens. Chickens are pretty adaptable as far as feed and can still do well with all this special treatment as long as they get a fairly balanced diet. But that is just my personal opinion, no real science to back it up.