We will tell you about what chickens are fed in our conversation today. We will talk about domestic laying hens. We will tell you how much and what kind of food is needed for each head daily.
Feed selection
There are three types of feed for laying hens:
If we talk about poultry farms, then most often they use dry food, and on mini-farms or in the household they use, as a rule, wet or combined. But this does not mean that domestic chickens can not be fed compound feed. It is possible and even necessary. Consider each type of feed separately.
Compound feed
If you do not know what to feed the hens, then the dry and balanced food will be the best and easiest choice. Compound feed should be present daily in the diet of hens, it forms its basis. It includes elements of animal origin or their artificial substitutes. In addition to dry combined feed, you need to introduce supplements in the form of vitamins and minerals. These are the so-called premixes that help digest feed, and also remove poisons and toxins from the body. This is not an independent feed, but only an additive to dry. Some farmers give their chickens whole grains, but this is not the right decision, as the birds are not able to fully digest this food, so they do not get the nutrients completely. It is better to give grain in crushed form.
How much and when to feed
Let's talk about how and in what quantity to feed the hens. Compound feed per day is given no more than twice. The quantity and composition of feed depends on the age of laying hens. For a young bird, more food is needed at the very beginning of the laying period. At this time, chickens are transferred to a special compound feed, which contains a lot of proteins and metabolic substances. Up to 120 g of compound feed is required per bird per day.
Wet food
So what are the hens fed? Hash browns are the basis of wet food. Their composition may be different, but the main thing is that the following components are present:
- oats (20 g per day);
- barley grain (50 g);
- corn (70 g);
- wheat (70 g);
- millet (40 g);
- bran wheat (25 g);
- beans (10 g);
- oilcake (20 g);
- bone meal or fish meal (10 g).
This is an approximate composition of wet food for the daily diet of chickens per one head. All grains must be crushed. To moisturize, use reverse, broth or just water. You need to feed at least 3 times a day. Food should be pecked by chickens in half an hour. Do not put a lot of food, otherwise it will start to sour and whip, it is better to add fresh.
Succulent feed
Now let's talk about what chickens are fed, except for cereals and legumes. Of course, in a full diet of birds every day there must be greens and root crops, that is, succulent feed. Fresh layers of clover, alfalfa, nettle, carrot and beet slices are useful for layers. In general, any grass will do. Everything needs to be chopped and fed immediately.
Combine feed
The most complete nutrition of laying hens will be combined feed. This is primarily mixed feed and wet feed. In the morning they usually give it dry, and during the day it is wet (mixers of compound feed, root crops, greens, some kind of food waste, etc.). Do not forget about vitamins and minerals. And how to feed domestic hens in the cold? The most suitable winter is just a combination feed. And in the evening you need to feed the chickens more than usual. You can add whole grains to the diet, as it gets dark early in the winter, which means your chickens will be perched until morning. Therefore, it is important that their goiter is filled with food.
Conclusion
We told you what the hens are fed at home. The main thing is that food should be served on time and in small portions. Remember, egg laying of chickens directly depends on a balanced, rich in minerals and vitamins nutrition. In addition, provide the birds with clean, fresh water. From time to time, add sand or gravel to the feed if the chickens do not have free access to them. So food will be better digested.