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Want to change my layer feed. Any suggestions?

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:03 pm
by TomK
Jaye..no problem...i'm hoping that its a viable option to me...I'll let you know

Want to change my layer feed. Any suggestions?

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 10:55 am
by G Williams
Just because your animals don't relish a feed doesn't mean that it isn't good for them. Oats are one of the last scratch ingredients eaten by my layers. Oats however have some very good qualities that other grains don't have and help keep self-fed hens from getting obese. Given the chance my hens would pig out on wheat and barely touch their Layer pellets and waste the Oats Barley and smattering of Peas in their scratch.
My solution is to withhold their scratch to the point where 50% of the ration consumed is lay pellets. As Ross Said Observe your critters. I watch my production, feather quality and especially my hatching rate.

Want to change my layer feed. Any suggestions?

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:33 am
by Ontario Chick
It's interesting how the flock gets used to different management.
My birds have free access to layer pellets, beside that they get a breakfast of whatever veg/fruit is available, which they actually wait for every morning, yes, I am well trained. ;)
At lunch time, when I collect eggs, I add whole oats on top of their feed and they plunge in as if they haven't eaten in days and carefully clean up the oats, I am sure to them it's more of an entertainment value, then the fact it's good for them.
Scratch served on top of feed in the evening welcomed with the same enthusiasm and cleaned up in a manner of minutes.

Want to change my layer feed. Any suggestions?

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 7:52 pm
by Epona
This might be of interest:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/16189 ... dium=email

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