Go hens! Hey, watch your chicken food. I had been feeding mine what was supposed to be a good layer feed. They stopped laying completely and didn't seem to be feeling well. We switched their food to a mix of scratch grains with just a fraction of the feed and they're laying their butts off again and are obviously feeling perkier.
I have been feeding them Grubbly's brand. I am brand new to owning chickens. I keep reading the scratch grains, that are mostly made out of corn, are bad for them. I guess that's not your experience? May I ask which brand you use?
I have always fed them some scratch grains tossed on the ground. It's good for them to scratch and peck. I had been feeding them Nutrena Naturewise layer pellets - not cheap and reads like it's good. My guy searched around and found people saying their hens also stopped laying on that feed and to add in 3/4 scratch grains to 1/4 feed. Obviously something is missing in that feed. As soon as we started the scratch/feed mix, they started laying like egg machines again and were much perkier. And started singing the egg song again. I think there's something missing in that feed. BTW, don't give your hens layer feed until they start laying regularly.
I'm going to switch back to Purina layer feed, which I had given them in the past. I just have to drive further to get it. And keep up the scratch grains. I also give them greens, chopped cabbage, anything to give them some raw vegetables, usually 2-3 times a week but more in winter when there's no weeds or grass for them to gobble. I give them mealworms from time to time too. Scratch grains are Country Road from Rural King.
I don't let them run outside their fenced run because it's far too dangerous here. Just ask the hawk that parks in the tree next to their run and ponders how to get in there.
BTW, mine are about 17 months old and have been laying for over a year.
ALMOST FORGOT be sure to give them grit when you feed them any coarse grains like scratch. You can get bags of it at the feed store. They don't have teeth, they use grit to grind the grains inside their crop.
That's interesting about the scratch. I'll have to try some of it. I think I've been buying a brand called scratch and peck. They seem to like it. It's supposed to be organic and all that good stuff so hopefully that's true.
I do give my birds treats. They love bananas with cinnamon. I've also given them berries. I read not to give them too many when they're young so I'm trying not to give them anything except the food for right now. I have gotten them some herbs which they rather enjoyed.
I get predator birds in my area because I'm near the river. I definitely don't feel comfortable just letting them run around the backyard.
Glad to help. BTW, a bit of oregano is good for them. One more tip - if you have any kind of garden, get some chicken wire and push in posts and make a big circle and throw their straw or whatever you use for bedding in there when you clean their hutch. It will make very nice compost eventually.
I learned the hard way not to free range. I live way out in the country. There are many predators out here - hawks, foxes, weasels, bears and, worst of all, neighbors' dogs allowed to wander around. It's pretty devastating to find a flock of 10 hens and the poor rooster who tried to defend them all killed by a dog or other predators. They now stay in their fence with an electric fence around and outside of that.
I have seen lots of reports on line about tractor supply food having issues. Many people are saying their egg production dropped or stopped completely.
Mine came from Rural King but they may be carrying some of the same brands. I think brand reports would be more reliable than generic it came from whatever store.
Chickens can stop laying in winter although I hadn't had that before. Egg farms get around this by using lights to give them light similar to warmer months. Probably the best bet is to get a trash can with a secure lid and toss in a mixture of this and that - different brands, different types.
Look at how not only size but quality of human foods have dropped. I'm sure they're doing the same with animal food.
Go hens! Hey, watch your chicken food. I had been feeding mine what was supposed to be a good layer feed. They stopped laying completely and didn't seem to be feeling well. We switched their food to a mix of scratch grains with just a fraction of the feed and they're laying their butts off again and are obviously feeling perkier.
I have been feeding them Grubbly's brand. I am brand new to owning chickens. I keep reading the scratch grains, that are mostly made out of corn, are bad for them. I guess that's not your experience? May I ask which brand you use?
I have always fed them some scratch grains tossed on the ground. It's good for them to scratch and peck. I had been feeding them Nutrena Naturewise layer pellets - not cheap and reads like it's good. My guy searched around and found people saying their hens also stopped laying on that feed and to add in 3/4 scratch grains to 1/4 feed. Obviously something is missing in that feed. As soon as we started the scratch/feed mix, they started laying like egg machines again and were much perkier. And started singing the egg song again. I think there's something missing in that feed. BTW, don't give your hens layer feed until they start laying regularly.
I'm going to switch back to Purina layer feed, which I had given them in the past. I just have to drive further to get it. And keep up the scratch grains. I also give them greens, chopped cabbage, anything to give them some raw vegetables, usually 2-3 times a week but more in winter when there's no weeds or grass for them to gobble. I give them mealworms from time to time too. Scratch grains are Country Road from Rural King.
I don't let them run outside their fenced run because it's far too dangerous here. Just ask the hawk that parks in the tree next to their run and ponders how to get in there.
BTW, mine are about 17 months old and have been laying for over a year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VO8CZ3EV2E egg song, so you'll know it when you hear it, sometimes the chicken who laid the egg sings it, sometimes it's another chicken
ALMOST FORGOT be sure to give them grit when you feed them any coarse grains like scratch. You can get bags of it at the feed store. They don't have teeth, they use grit to grind the grains inside their crop.
That's interesting about the scratch. I'll have to try some of it. I think I've been buying a brand called scratch and peck. They seem to like it. It's supposed to be organic and all that good stuff so hopefully that's true.
I do give my birds treats. They love bananas with cinnamon. I've also given them berries. I read not to give them too many when they're young so I'm trying not to give them anything except the food for right now. I have gotten them some herbs which they rather enjoyed.
I get predator birds in my area because I'm near the river. I definitely don't feel comfortable just letting them run around the backyard.
Thanks for the tips!
Glad to help. BTW, a bit of oregano is good for them. One more tip - if you have any kind of garden, get some chicken wire and push in posts and make a big circle and throw their straw or whatever you use for bedding in there when you clean their hutch. It will make very nice compost eventually.
Will your chickens free range? I heard that some will not?
I learned the hard way not to free range. I live way out in the country. There are many predators out here - hawks, foxes, weasels, bears and, worst of all, neighbors' dogs allowed to wander around. It's pretty devastating to find a flock of 10 hens and the poor rooster who tried to defend them all killed by a dog or other predators. They now stay in their fence with an electric fence around and outside of that.
I have seen lots of reports on line about tractor supply food having issues. Many people are saying their egg production dropped or stopped completely.
Mine came from Rural King but they may be carrying some of the same brands. I think brand reports would be more reliable than generic it came from whatever store.
Chickens can stop laying in winter although I hadn't had that before. Egg farms get around this by using lights to give them light similar to warmer months. Probably the best bet is to get a trash can with a secure lid and toss in a mixture of this and that - different brands, different types.
Look at how not only size but quality of human foods have dropped. I'm sure they're doing the same with animal food.