PNW 477Reprinted October 1995

How to feedyour laying and breeding hensJ.C. Hermes

T here is no magic to feeding chickens. Small flock produc-ers can choose from many brands of feed produced byseveral manufacturers. These manufactured feeds are

computer formulated by company nutritionists to provideoptimal nutrition for the particular type and age of chickenbeing fed. The formulation of these feeds, which is similar tocommercial feeds, is based on years of research on commer-cial chickens. They are considered a complete diet, containingall of the nutrients required by chickens. In most cases,supplemental vitamins are unnecessary if these feeds are fedexclusively.

Feeds are formulated andmanufactured for chickens tomeet their nutritional needs atspecific ages and productioncharacteristics. For example,starter feeds are fed to chicksfrom hatch to a few weeks of age.Grower and developer feeds arefed to “adolescent” growingchickens, while layer or breederfeeds are fed to chickens that areproducing eggs.

The ingredients in thesedifferent types of feeds aresimilar; however, the propor-tions vary to provide the properlevel of nutrition for the particu-lar birds being fed. Each sack islabeled with its specific use.

It is important to feed eggproducing chickens the appro-priate feed from hatch throughtheir productive years to maxi-mize their productivity. Feedingimproperly at any stage canresult in poor egg production.

Whether they are bantams orlarge fowl, white or brown egg

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layers, all chickens’ requirementsfor protein, carbohydrates, fats,fiber, vitamins, and minerals aresimilar. Your birds rely on you toprovide them with proper feed.If you do, they will producemany high quality eggs for thefamily, friends, the neighbor-hood, and beyond. Following afew simple feeding rules can leadto a healthy and productiveflock.

Starter feedsFeed newly hatched chicks a

starter diet until they are about6 weeks old. Starter diets areformulated to give propernutrition to fast growing babychickens. These feeds usuallycontain between 18 and20 percent protein.

It is not necessary to feed“meat bird starter” to younglayer chickens. Diets formulatedfor starting meat chickens arehigher in protein (22 percent) tomaximize growth, which is not

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necessary or desirable for egglaying chickens and is higher incost.

Grower anddeveloper feeds

Once the birds reach about6 weeks of age, substitute agrower feed for the starter.Grower feeds are about 15 or16 percent protein and areformulated to sustain goodgrowth to maturity.

After about 14 weeks of age,you can substitute the growerfeed with developer feeds if theyare available. These feeds arelower in protein than growerfeeds (14 to 15 percent) and areformulated to prepare young

James C. Hermes, Extension poultryspecialist, Oregon State University.This replaces an Oregon StateUniversity Extension publication bythe same title.

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chickens for egg production.Note: These two feed types arevirtually interchangeable; eitherone can be fed to chickensbetween 6 weeks of age and thebeginning of egg production.

Layer and breeder feedsOnce your chickens begin

laying eggs, you can choosebetween layer and breederfeeds. Your choice of feed at thisstage depends on how the eggswill be used.

Layer feeds are formulated forchickens that are laying tableeggs (those used for food).Layer feeds contain about16 percent protein and extracalcium so the chickens will layeggs with strong shells. Startfeeding layer feeds at about20 weeks of age or when thefirst egg is laid, whicheveroccurs first.

Breeder feeds are formulatedfor chickens that are producingeggs for hatching. These feedsbasically are layer feeds contain-ing slightly more protein andfortified with extra vitamins forproper chick development andhatching. However, use ofbreeder feeds is somewhatquestionable for the small flockproducer, since the increasedcost may not be justified by thepotentially slight increase inhatchability.

You also may give bothlaying and breeding chickensaccess to ground oyster shell.Some high-producing layingbirds may require the extra

calcium provided by oyster shell,even though the prepared diet isa complete feed. The need to feedoyster shell can be determinedby shell quality. If eggs are laidwith thin shells that are easilycracked or shells that are roughwith almost a sandpaper feel,oyster shell may help to increaseshell strength and quality. Whenfeeding oyster shell, provide aseparate feeder allowing freechoice feeding on oyster shell.

Medicated feedsMost commercial starter diets

are medicated to prevent com-mon yet serious diseases inchicken flocks. Medications areless common in grower or layerdiets. Feeds that contain medica-tions are labeled as such.

Check the label for warningsconcerning the medication usedin feeds. Withdrawal dates willbe indicated on the label if thereis a risk of the medication’spresence in the eggs. Feedmedications are highlyresearched and regulated, soyou can be confident that theeggs are safe to eat if youfollow the label instructions.

If you wish touse nonmedicatedfeeds, they usuallyare available or canbe ordered. How-ever, in some cases,mortality levels,especially in youngchicks, may rise tounacceptable levels ifnonmedicated feeds arefed.

WaterWater is the single most

important nutrient that chickensconsume. Therefore, it is neces-sary to provide adequateamounts of clean, fresh waterdaily during growth and eggproduction. Chickens will drinkbetween two and three times asmuch water by weight as theyeat in feed. Their consumption ofwater increases in warmweather.

Scratch (grains)Chickens love to scratch. They

use their feet to disturb the litteror ground to find various seeds,greens, grit, or insects to eat.Feeding scratch grains canpromote this behavior, whichgives the birds exercise andkeeps them busy. However,feeding scratch to chickens is notnecessary when they are receiv-ing a complete diet.

Scratch feeds usually arecracked, rolled, or whole grains

How to feedyour laying and breeding hens

such as corn, barley, oats, orwheat, which are relatively lowin protein and high in energy orfiber depending on which grainsare used. When fed in concertwith prepared feeds, they dilutenutrient levels in the carefullyformulated diets. Therefore, youshould provide scratch spar-ingly. A general rule of thumb isto feed only as much scratch asthe chickens can consume inabout 20 minutes, or about 10 to15 percent of their total dailyfood consumption.

When feeding scratch, alsoprovide an insoluble grit so thebirds can grind and digest thegrains properly. If the birds haveaccess to the ground they usuallycan find enough grit in the formof small rocks or pebbles.Otherwise, you can purchasegrit. Oyster shell cannot besubstituted for grit because it istoo soft to aid in grinding.

Table scraps and greensChickens, like other family

pets, enjoy many of the samefoods their owners do. However,excessive feeding of table scrapsand greens may not be beneficialto the birds or to their productiv-ity. Some supplementation isfine—in fact, greens help to keepegg yolks deep yellow in color—but, as with scratch, these foodsshould be limited. The same ruleapplies here: the total supplemen-tation of scratch and table scrapsshould be no more than can becleaned up in about 20 minutes.

Feeding managementThe mechanics of feeding are

nearly as important as the feeditself. Supply enough feederspace so that all the birds caneat at the same time. Whenspace is limited, some birds don’tget enough to eat. Keep feed

available for the birds constantly(ad libitum). Meal feeding (givinga limited amount of feed severaltimes each day) can reduceproductivity if not managedcarefully.

Place feeders and waterers sothe trough is at the level of thebirds’ backs. This practicereduces feed spillage, whichencourages rodents, wastes feed,and costs money. If bantams andlarge fowl are feeding anddrinking from the same equip-ment, adjust it to the bantams.

Store feed for a maximum of2 months, and keep it in a cool,dry place. Some molds that growin damp feeds are dangerous forchickens, and old feeds can losesome of their nutritional value.

Pacific Northwest Extension publications contain material written and produced for public distribution. You may reprint written material, provided you do not useit to endorse a commercial product. Please reference by title and credit Pacific Northwest Extension publications.

Pacific Northwest Extension publications are jointly produced by the three Pacific Northwest states—Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Similar crops, climate, andtopography create a natural geographic unit that crosses state lines. Since 1949 the PNW program has published more than 450 titles. Joint writing, editing, andproduction have prevented duplication of effort, broadened the availability of faculty specialists, and substantially reduced the costs for participating states.

Published and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Oregon State University Extension Service, Lyla Houglum,interim director; Washington State University Cooperative Extension, James J. Zuiches, director; the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System, LeRoy D.Luft, director; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

The three participating Extension Services offer educational programs, activities, and materials—without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status—as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX ofthe Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Oregon State University Extension Service, Washington State UniversityCooperative Extension, and the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System are Equal Opportunity Employers. Published January 1995; Reprinted October1995. 50¢/50¢/50¢