what do you feed your chickens?

[dru`s haven]

hi all,
weve just got some light sussex chicks ,they are currently being fed on laying pellets,they have just started to lay last week ,but noticed that the yolks are pale?
ive read this is down to what you feed them?
can anyone shed any light here please ,as chick newbies lol ,ive also given them veg peelings too
thank you for any help/advice on this

[Scarlet]

I use small holder feed and a small handful of corn spread in the evening. They also get garden weeds, chard, outer cabbage leaves etc. They don't get any cooked foods at all.

How pale are they? They may change as they get the swing of things. What brand of feed are you giving them? Are they on grass?

[SarrissUK]

When I first got chickens a few years ago, I thought the same - the eggs were tasty, but pale and not that much better than shop bought eggs. Then by chance I changed the food I feed them, and instantly the egg yolks were gorgeously deep yellow and much more flavoursome. I've used the same food ever since - it's layers pellets from Lee Lane Mill in Sheffield. I also give them peelings and fruit, and vegetables from the garden, and as many slugs and snails as they can eat when I let them out to have a scratch

[muddled]

Green stuff makes golden yolks apparently.

It might be down to what they were fed before you got them but still, like Scarlet, I feed my girls all manner of fruit and veggies, weeds and so on. I grow spinach and chard and kale especially for them.

At this time of year;
Mine get organic layers pellets in the morning, in their feeder, available all day. Then in the afternoon they get their veggies and in the evening a small handful each of corn dusted with ground eggshells.

In winter they get warm porrige in the morning (they are pets rather than livestock after all) then a few layers pellets in their feeder, veggies during the day and two handfuls of grain per bird before bed.

My girls don't lay at all during winter time so I don't worry about the pellets too much then.

[kathyd]

As above. They love brassica type greens especially, and will happily find their own grass and weeds if you let them out to free range. If they're in a run and you want to give them grass, you need to cut it into very short lengths first (about 1"). If not they can get problems with their crop. Some of mine like fruit - I cut apples and pears into thick slices for them. They love dried mealworms, the occasional sardine, scrambled or chopped hard boiled egg as treats, even the 'wet' cat food the cats leave - all full of protein which helps with egg laying and growing feathers during moulting. I rarely give them bread or potato or other carbs which are just 'fillers'. Just don't give them too much of anything if you want them to eat mostly pellets - I limit to around a desert spoon a day per bird, plus sunflower seeds before bed as their scratch feed.

[Stan79]

Countrywide - own brand layers pellets

[dru`s haven]

Thank you all for your help/advice on this ive made notes for hubby to look at ,i do send peeling and veg down ,as they are kept at in laws ,yes they have a run which is on grass ,and they are generally fed on layers pellets plus corn ,weve only had them for a month and they only started laying a couple of weeks ago, the eggs are getting bigger and the shell is going a nice colour too,its just the yolks are pale ,even if they are double yolkers ,all helps towards making cakes lol

[Scarlet]

Young hens often lay double yolkers, their laying system gets a little confused and as they get better at it they will lay single yolk eggs (much to my boys disappointment ) you may well be feeding too many "treats" those veg peelings should be given at the end of the day after they've eaten their quota of layers pellets.

[BUFFS]

I used to hang 6-8 leaves of shard about 3ft off the ground, they spent hours jumping to get them and its the greens/weeds that give the eggs the good colour as I understand it, we had a waiting list of neighbours wanting to get our eggs as the word went round that they were not like shop eggs. I am not mobile enough now but I do miss their very funny antics..

[dru`s haven]

arr ok thank you i shall pass this on ,hubby made me get one of my cauliflowers up for them ,said no cauli growing? but oh yes there was very tiny grrr glad ive got 4 more and they are staying lol

[chasingmytail]

Hipeak.

Organic because 1. I dont want feed to be swamped with pesticides and 2. def no GMO in my diet 3. Lower soya content (wish there wasnt any).

I have a lot of hens so get bulk.

They also have seaweed mash mixed in and a container with oyster shell. They also have all my kitchen waste (excluding citrus cos they are not fussed - my cows eat them) Any raw organic milk thats gone over and any yogurt Ive messed up making. So a mixed diet as any animal should be fed.

My hens are on pasture and moved once a week. Plenty of greens and fertilize the ground.