layer pellets and other foods

[miless2111s]

just a couple of questions as we're new to this

1) We're feeding our pre-laying chickens on layer pellets as this is what they had at the breeders - we like taking some treats out to them (grapes, pea branches, apple peel etc) but we were just wondering if it is possible to feed them too much veg? We'd like to give them peelings (not potatoes obviously) but worry that we might end up disturbing the balance which the layer pellets give? We assume not as we can't control what the eat when running around the garden but being new we need some reassurance!

2) Will we need to give oyster shell etc supplements when they start to lay or do layer pellets provide everything they need?

Thanks

Miles

 

[Marigold]

How old are they, Miles? Pullets can be fed layers pellets from about 16-18 weeks, though ideally if you were raising them yourself and had some growers pellets left, they could eat these until the start of lay. The main difference is the higher amount of calcium in layers feed, which supports eggshell making once the birds are in lay, but can be excessive for younger birds who are still growing. So if they are still younger than 16 weeks you could get them enough growers pellets to last them until 20+ weeks! but if they're over 16-18 weeks what you have will do.
It's much better to be feeding them fruit and veg as treats then anything fattening, but bear in mind that if they fill up with a lot of this, it will take up room which might usefully have been occupied by pellets balanced for their needs, as you suggest. ideally their diet would contain fresh short grass (long grass can block their crops) or greenstuff such as cabbage. My hens live most of the time in an enclosed run and I give them some chopped cabbage or very freshly cut grass clippings every day, but not masses of it, and I feed it in the afternoon when they've had their main ration of pellets.
Yes its good to have a pot of mixed grit and oystershell available for them to peck at when they feel the need. A flowerpot with tent pegs through the holes to hold it stable will provide drainage. They may not need it to grind up pellets, but you'll probably be feeding other stuff such as mixed corn or greens which need the grit to help grind it up in their gizzards. Get a good big bag and it will last for ages, they don't use much. The mixed grit and shell kind is best, if you only give the shell they may not be able to find the right kind and size of flinty grit they need.

 

[chrismahon]

We have a bag of Oystershell grit and none of the birds would touch it. So went back to mixed grit as Marigold recommends.

What you will find is that too many healthy treats will knock back egg production. The layers pellets provide 15% protein, which is what they need to lay. So if they eat too much stuff lower in protein than that they will cut back on laying. What you can do is add sunflower hearts or mealworms to the treats as they are high in protein which will redress the balance. Our landlords hens free range and eat all manner of stuff they find. When insects are few they stop laying because insects are the protein element they need in their diet.

 

[miless2111s]

Thanks for confirming our suspicions - the only question now is how much is "too much" If we're keeping it to treats I'm guessing a handful of grapes or the peelings from 4 carrots wouldn't be too much but giving them the entire contents of our veg scraps would be too much for 4 birds?

Just trying to get a sense of scale

MIles

 

[Marigold]

Neither of the things you mention count as green, Miles, and its best to concentrate on grass or greens rather than carrot peelings or grapes. The aim is to supplement what a hen would be getting if she were fully free range in a lovely large field with lots of grass and various other plants to nibble. Carrot peelings and fruit aren't harmful in themselves, it's just that, as Chris says, they are not very nutritious and take up room in the hens crop and displace other foods which will contribute to maintaining good bones and muscles, and most important, egg production. Laying an egg most days must really use a lot of resources for the hen, when you think that a bird weighing perhaps 2-3 kilos will lay an egg about 70 grams. That's around 2% of her cbodyweight every day, and so she needs all the high protein and calcium supplements she can get from her layers pellets. The right kind of green food is useful, it's what she would naturally eat, and can help to improve the depth of colour of her egg yolks, though this also depends on what breed she is. As Chris explained, a fully free range hen in a good environment will supplement her protein with insects etc, but most of our garden hens need to rely on eating enough pellets to do the job for them.
So I would say, the occasional grape or two per hen, maybe the peelings from one carrot between them, and if you want to buy them any extras, make it cabbage (not lettuce, which is nutritionally useless.) - a medium sized cabbage would last my four hens 6 days, I shred it up for them and give it late in the afternoon with a single handful of corn mixed in to it for them to find. Go easy on the sunflower hearts as they're rather high in fat, best kept to add to winter warm mashes perhaps.