Food for laying hens, what is good nutrition for laying hens?

Food for laying hens, what is good nutrition for laying hens?

Chickens that lay eggs on a daily basis need enough nutrients to do this. A shortage of nutrients can lead to reduced laying or diseases in the chickens. Laying pellets or laying meal contain sufficient nutrients for laying hens. Supplemental nutrition is often not necessary, just to promote foraging behavior. If chickens do not receive laying pellets, a varied diet of grains, seeds, green fodder, vegetables, fruit, meat and chicken grit is essential. Free-roaming chickens can forage as needed and still get enough nutrients.

Feeding laying hens

Chickens that lay eggs use a lot of energy. In addition, sufficient nutrients are needed for the chicken to produce eggs. Eggs contain a lot of protein and calcium, so these nutrients must be sufficiently present for chickens that are laying. Chickens that don’t get enough calcium will start using calcium from their skeleton, which can have dire consequences for the chicken. Chickens that do not get enough protein can lay fewer eggs or no eggs at all.

Laying pellet or laying meal

The composition of laying meal or laying pellets is completely tailored to the needs of a laying chicken. Chickens no longer lay eggs from laying meal or pellets, but it provides chickens that lay eggs with the necessary nutrients. You can choose between laying meal and laying pellets. It doesn’t make that much difference in terms of composition. Laying meal is spilled more quickly, causing it to become contaminated. Spilled food can attract pests. Laying pellets are easier to eat, which can have the disadvantage that the chickens eat it too quickly and get bored. Chickens naturally like to spend their time foraging. Boredom can be prevented by supplementing with cereals and green fodder. For example, by hanging vegetables high, chickens have to make more effort to get them.

Composition of laying meal or laying pellets

Chickens naturally eat a lot of grains and green food. These are the main ingredients of laying meal or laying pellets. They often contain corn, wheat and soy. In addition to these grains, laying pellets often contain alfalfa, a plant that is often used as animal feed due to its high protein content. To meet the nutritional needs of laying chickens, vitamins, minerals and proteins are added to the feed. Vegetable oils are added to laying pellets to be able to press the ingredients into a pellet.

Food in addition to laying pellets

A laying pellet has sufficient nutrients for laying chickens, so that additional feeding is not necessary. However, there may be reasons to give laying chickens something else. For example, the chickens may not like the laying pellets or laying meal and not eat them. Some extras can also be given to maintain the chickens’ natural foraging behavior. One can also choose to be given extra nutrition because there are simply leftovers of vegetables, fruit or other food. Finally, in addition to the laying pellets, free-range chickens will also look for food themselves during foraging and thus consume various other food.

Cereals

Grains are like candy for chickens and they will love to eat it. Giving too many grains can therefore lead to overweight chickens. Chickens that are too fat will not be able to lay eggs as well. Since grains alone do not contain enough protein and calcium for laying hens, they are not a good basis for the chicken. It can be given as a supplement to promote foraging. Giving corn can affect the color of the yolk, which can make the eggs look more palatable. However, corn does not affect the nutritional value of the egg.

Green food

Free-range chickens often look for green food themselves. You can give chickens in the run green food. Plants that contain a lot of calcium and proteins and are therefore good for laying chickens are birdwort, grass, clover, hemp and nettle seed.

Vegetables and fruit

Vegetables and fruit can be fed well in addition to the regular laying pellet. Especially if you notice that chickens don’t get enough calcium due to weak egg shells, for example. Calcium-rich vegetables can strengthen the eggshells in this case. Calcium-rich vegetables include kale, broccoli and spinach. Avoid giving vegetables with a strong flavor, such as onions, leeks and garlic. These can cause an off-taste to the eggs. Citrus fruits can also have a bad influence on laying.

Chicken grit and stomach grit

Make sure that laying hens always have access to stomach grit and chicken grit. Stomach gravel are small stones that help digest food. Chickens usually look for the stones themselves in nature, but if chickens do not have enough space to search for them themselves, they must be given. Chicken grit is a source of calcium for chickens. Although laying pellets in principle contain sufficient calcium, it is desirable to have chicken grit available so that the chicken can replenish the calcium itself if necessary.

Meat and dairy

Meat and dairy are sometimes recommended as a good protein source for laying hens. However, dairy contains too little protein to meet the needs of laying chickens. Meat is a better source of protein. Chickens are omnivores and can therefore digest normal meat. In nature, chickens often eat insects for the necessary proteins. They will therefore really appreciate feeding them insects. But other unsalted meats can also be given. Be careful not to give seasoned or salted meat, this is not good for the chickens. Giving eggs is not always desirable either. Chickens that get used to the taste of eggs can break their own eggs

Food for laying hens without laying pellets or laying meal

If for some reason chickens are not getting laying pellets or laying meal, for example because the chickens do not want to eat it or because you prefer not to feed it, you must provide a balanced diet for your chickens. Chickens that forage look for a varied diet themselves. If there is enough space and enough plants, the chickens will usually be able to provide themselves with the necessary nutrients. Chickens that scratch less should be fed. If they do not receive laying pellets, the supplementary feeding will consist of grains, seeds, green food, vegetables, fruit, chicken grit, stomach grit and possibly kitchen waste and insects. Particular attention must be paid to ensuring that the chickens get enough calcium and proteins. Chickens that do not scratch at all are better off eating laying pellets, because it is very difficult to put together a balanced diet yourself.

Good and bad food for laying hens

In the tables below you will find nutrition that laying hens with and without laying pellets need.

Food for laying hens that receive laying pellets or laying meal

Food for laying hens that do not receive laying pellets or laying meal