What do you feed your hens?

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

I have always fed a mixture of layers' pellets and weeds/kitchen scraps, but DH has just not listened to my shopping list and come home with a large sack of mixed corn. Will this have enough protein for layers? Or will I have to buy the pellets and just add the corn as an extra? What do other people do?

My mum has chickens, she feeds corn and layers pellets plus scraps. They have pellets in their feeder, ablib. Just before bed time she scatters corn all over the ground for them, they love zooming around pecking it all up.

I don't think corn on its own will have enough protein.

I would buy some pellets for their feeder and give them a handful of corn later on in the day. If they are used to having them then why change. Even a large sack of corn will get used up if it's kept dry. Send your DH back to buy them!

mixed corn isn't the same.
it's okay as a supplement, like your kitchen scraps, but not as the main feed.

You're right to stick to layers pellets - and be aware that they might want to eat corn more than pellets once they find out how yummy.

it's more for hens you're going to eat, because it makes them fat

Mixed corn is a treat. Too much will make your hens fat, and they will not lay. Layers pellets contain everything your girls need, and anything else should be fed late afternoon as a treat. I do feed mine mixed corn just before it gets dark in the winter, because the extra energy keeps them warm through the night.

Thanks. That's what I thought - but I thought I'd check, just in case I was wrong. And I was using corn just as you say; when the weather is very cold in the afternoons. Still, they'll have to make do until Tuesday, when I can get to the feed merchant.

Yes, they will eat mixed corn - just as we might prefer chocolate buttons to soup.

We used to feed pellets but then we moved to layers mash - apparently it stops fighting because they find it more interesting.

Also, lots of corn can make white chickens a bit yellow - which could be odd!

I am looking into getting some Garvo feed...it seems to be the best...

I was told to avoid mash because the chickens pick out the bits they like best and leave the rest ... probably a change is as good as anything to stop them fighting, though. Greens, leaves hanging up.etc.

Layer pellets and veg scraps from the kitchen.

yes, lots of people are told that - funny, cos farmers feed their hens (industrially) with mash, and they have good eggs from it.

(i have always used mash too, because the farm we got them from said they were used to it, then the exbats were used to it, too - tried them on pellets once, and the exbats couldn't pick them up)