Will scratch cause hens to lay less eggs?

[coolchange]

I have 5 hens that are about 8-10 months old and I give them about a half cup of scratch a day as a treat. I was told by a friend that giving them scratch even as a treat will cause them to lay less eggs. Is this true? Thanks in advance for any help or suggestion.

 

[chicknmania]

I have never heard that. We give our chickens scratch every day and have more eggs than we can eat, give away, or sell! (we have 22 hens)

 

[Arklady]

For some reason in SOME birds it can. So like for me I fed mine scratch and they hardly laid any and they were bald so I moved up to layer pellets and I don't give scratch for treats I pull weeds they like to eat for treats or you can give them rabbit pellets for a treat or toss in a head of cabbage or a bag of shredded cabbage from the store. SOME birds just need extra. I don't know why.

Arklady

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Scratch (cracked corn) is a "hot" food for chickens. It raises their metabolism and makes their bodies work harder to digest it. If you feed it on a regular basis a hen may go "broody"-get in the mood to lay and shed belly feathers for the incubating process.

It is NOT recomended for summertime feeding as it increases the birds overall body temp. Try a bit of crushed raw oats for a treat.

 

[jimnjay]

Black Oil sunflower seeds make an excellent treat, moderation in all things. They eat the whole seed so to many can clog up the plumbing but the oil in the seeds keep the reproductive tract healthy. Rolled oats, boiled eggs if you have extras and yogert is a favorite treat for my flock. All very good for them with no down side. Scratch is good for extra heat in the winter but it can make them overweight and that can lead to problems too.