More and more people are starting to get into raising chickens in their backyards. They are easy to keep and can produce an abundance of fresh, delicious eggs for you and your family. But in order to keep you flock healthy and get good quality eggs out of your birds, you are going to have to make sure that they get the proper care and nutrition that they deserve.
Adult hens will need a "Layer" feed available to them at all times. Layer feeds can come in the form of crumbles or pellets, and there are even some brands that have oyster shells mixed in for additional calcium to aid in health and egg production. Layer formulas are specifically designed to meet all your hens needs. However, there will be times when you might want to supplement additional food varieties to your hens diet to aid in egg production when production declines due to molting or a change in weather.
As living creatures, hens will have their limits of what they can do, just like every other living thing. It is perfectly normal for their bodies to take a break from laying eggs from time to time. However, there are certain times when they may go through a prolonged period of time where they stop producing eggs, and there are certain things you can do to try to give them a boost to get back on track.
Molting, extreme heat, and winter months are all are common reasons for a hen to stop laying. While the methods we are about to discuss won't cure the issue in every case since each bird is an individual, these methods do tend to help more often than not.
In addition to an unlimited supply of their regular layer feed, you can add various other treats to your hens diet such has whole kernel corn, oats, black oil sunflower seeds, vegetables, and more.
The corn helps provide extra energy to the hens that will make it easier for them to keep themselves warm during the winter months. Since the corn is providing extra calories and a boost of energy, the hens bodies won't have to work a hard to stay warm, and energy can instead go into producing eggs. Adding corn to the diet of your hens also makes the yolks of their eggs a rich, beautiful color. While cracked corn can be used, whole kernels of corn are more nutritionally sound than the broken up pieces. So, results tend to be more noticeable when whole shelled corn is used. Just be careful not to spoil your birds with too much corn or they may start packing on the pounds!
Oats are another great supplement to a hens diet. They provide a rich source of various B vitamins, and also provide additional calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium to the diet. The numerous vitamins and health benefits that oats contain help your birds to build a strong immune system and a healthy body, making them fit and well enough to produce numerous eggs with strong shells. In fact, oats are a great treat to offer your hens any time of year, even if laying issues aren't present. And remember, the healthier your birds are the healthier their eggs will be for you!
Black oil sunflower seeds can help your hens in many ways. They are a rich source of protein which is great if your birds are molting or struggling with cold weather. The seeds provide a rich source of Vitamin E and antioxidants that build a strong immune system for your birds and add nutritional value to their eggs. The oil in the seeds can also add a nice shine to the feathers of your birds. But just like corn, feed black oil sunflower seeds in moderation so that your birds do not become overweight.
When feeding corn and seeds to your hens, it is especially important to make sure that grit is provided to aid in digestion.
Most feed stores provide something called "Chicken Scratch". Most formulas consist of cracked corn, barley, oats, sunflower seeds, and millet. Chicken scratch is an easy way to provide the extra feed items that they need all in one bag. However, some people prefer to mix their own "scratch" since bagged scratch tends to come with cracked corn instead of whole corn pieces, and as mentioned before, the cracked corn isn't quite as beneficial as whole shelled corn. All of the ingredients required to make homemade chicken scratch can be found at your local feed store.
Chickens also enjoy and benefit from having fresh fruits and veggies added to their diet. Dried mealworms can also be offered here and there for additional protein. Some people even offer their hens plain scrambled eggs on occasion. If you choose to do this, you can even break up pieces of the shell to mix in for extra calcium.
Hens are not above eating their own eggs, so scrambling the eggs is a nice way to make their eggs unrecognizable so that they don't realize what they are eating, and in turn will not pick up the bad habit of eating their own eggs as soon as they are laid. With that being said, if you ever do have the misfortune of owning a hen that eats its eggs after laying them, you can usually resolve this issue by hollowing out an eggshell, filling it with hot sauce, and then leaving it in the coop. Once your hen gets a taste of the hot sauce in the egg she will not be likely to break into one again, and your problem will be solved!
Diatomaceous Earth is another thing that you can add to your chickens feed. It is completely natural and safe for your birds to consume and it can even prevent feed from molding. When Diatomaceous Earth is consumed by your hen it acts as a natural de-wormer and can kill any harmful parasites that may be living in your bird. Whenever I add this to my chicken feed their eggs come out totally clean and never have manure left on the shell. I also sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth in their bedding because it helps kill mites and other bugs that could potentially live on their feathers. If you chose to use this keep in mind that it is a very fine powder, so you might want to wear a face mask when handling it so that you do not accidentally inhale it.
If your hens are really struggling during the winter months you can also add a heat lamp in their coop. The heat and the brightness of the bulb can trick their bodies into thinking it's spring, and egg production might pick back up. Just make sure that the heat lamp is secure so that it can't get knocked over and potentially burn anybody or start a fire.
Keep in mind that each hen is an individual and there are certain breeds that will lay better than others. Age, genetics, climate, and the breed of your bird will all play a big role in determining how many eggs they will lay. However, if you put good nutrition and care into your birds you should receive good results in return, so it is worth taking a few extra steps to help your hens out if they ever start struggling to produce eggs for you.
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