Chickens feed on various fruits, vegetables, grit, kitchen scraps and eggs; however, their primary diet should consist of high-quality laying feed that’s rich in vitamins and minerals.
If your hens don’t receive adequate nutrition, they may cease laying or produce less than expected. Here are four strategies to ensure you maximize your flock: 1. Quality Feed
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1. Quality Feed
Quality chicken feed is one of the keys to producing more eggs from your flock. Make sure they’re getting a complete layer feed formulated to provide all of the essential ingredients, such as protein, calcium phosphorous, vitamins minerals and probiotics necessary for egg production.
A healthy laying hen diet should include leafy greens, cooked beans and corn as well as non-sugary cereal grains without added sugars like oatmeal, berries or apples. Supplement her meal with some scratch grains or table scraps as necessary but beware not to overfeed as this will dilute their pellets and crumbles’ nutrition value.
Hens need calcium in order to produce strong shells. Be sure to provide free-choice calcium supplements in your hen’s meals, whether that be with their feed or as an additional source such as oyster shells or crushed eggshells for your roosters if applicable. This is particularly important during molt when calcium intake drops significantly; additionally make sure there is sufficient fresh, clean water – the average laying hen consumes an estimated daily consumption of one pint.
2. Clean Nests Boxes
Hens should always be encouraged to lay their eggs in their designated nesting boxes, rather than dispersing their eggs throughout their coop and yard, which can make collection harder as well as increasing your risk of predators stealing them away from you.
Chickens produce a lot of manure while they roost, which can get on your eggs. To ensure a comfortable nighttime roost for your hens, place roosting bars higher than their nesting boxes so they will avoid using these for restful sleep.
At the bottom of each nesting box should be placed clean bedding such as wood shavings, sawdust or untreated hay (non-chemically treated only). Some feed and farm stores also sell rubber mats designed specifically to fit in chicken nesting boxes and make cleaning much simpler while not creating spaces where parasites could hide. You can encourage your hens to utilize their nesting boxes by placing golf balls or Easter eggs inside them – these should encourage regular use!
3. Calcium Supplement
Chickens are known for producing high quality eggs, yet their bodies require the appropriate balance of nutrients in order to do this consistently and successfully. Calcium is one of the key elements for egg production in chickens.
A hen requires about 4% of their bodyweight in calcium to produce hard eggshells. While complete layer feed usually provides adequate amounts, it is still wise to provide your flock with additional sources of this essential nutrient.
Your choice of calcium supplement depends on multiple considerations. Hens nearing peak of their laying cycle require coarse-grained forms like oyster shell or soluble grit that will easily absorb in their digestive systems and deliver an excellent source of calcium supplement.
Chipped limestone may also provide your flock with essential calcium supplements, though its faster digestion time and reduced palatability compared to soluble grit or crushed oyster shells can result in lower feed consumption.
4. Treats
Like any animal, chickens need a balanced diet in order to remain healthy and productive laying machines. A hen’s diet typically consists of a balanced blend of vitamins and minerals in her feed as well as foraged food like grass, fruits, vegetables and insects.
Chicken treats can provide valuable sources of nutrition when given in moderation and sparingly, with no more than 10% of an animal’s total daily ration being allocated as treats.
Seeds like sunflower, peanuts, millet and wheat make an excellent treat for the flock to enjoy in addition to their regular feed. Watermelons provide both flesh and seeds containing valuable nutrition – these should all be cut up before being fed! Mealworms also make for tasty treats that encourage their natural foraging instincts!
