I read an article last winter, how to get your hens to lay like its summer. Our standard chicken
laying mashes are all plant protein based. A chicken needs some animal protein in its diet.
I bought several cans of dog food at an outlet store...28 cents a can. Since January, my Easter Egg hens
have gotten their laying mash at 24 cent a pound! cooked rice in the AM for something warm
and a 1/3 of a can of dog food.....hens started laying quite respectable for nearly year old hens.
Three days ago, I opened the chicken coop, put up part of a cattle panel so sheep and lamb
couldn't get in but the hens can come and go. I thought yep now I will start hunting for eggs.
The hens have continued to lay in their nests. With the rice, dog food, some scratch corn thrown
outside.....and whatever goodies they scratch up,,,,eating very little laying mash
,,,today I got 7 large eggs from 8 hens.....so 8 cents of dog food, 5 cents for rice, 10 cent for a bit of corn...
23 cents for 7 eggs.......pretty good indeed
I have 8 almost 3 month old Easter Egg pullets.......by end of June they should be laying too...
"they" say to wait to introduce pullets to the adult flock until the pullets have stopped peeping
They can stay in their generous pen till they start to lay.....then I will sneak them in.
Till Later
Jerry
Posts
2 comments:
I am buying organic layer mash for 20 dollars for 50 pounds. In just three weeks, three hens have almost eaten the entire bag! Those are expensive eggs I'm getting!
I would love an Easter Egger or two from you if you have any extra to sell. The three hens I have are all yearlings, so would like a few young ones to keep the laying at an optimum level.
Interesting info, Jerry. I've heard of chickens eating catfood, but not the canned dogfood.
Hope to have chickens again someday. I like how they keep down the woodticks.
Post a Comment