By Theresa Gibilisco, owner, The Hungry Puppy
"My eggs used to be better." I hear that at the feed counter more than you'd think. Shells that crack when you tap them on the side of the carton. Yolks that went from orange to the color of a lemon. Sometimes it's the hen, sometimes it's the season, and a lot of the time it's what's in the feeder.
So here's what a complete layer feed actually does for an egg, using one we sell a lot of, Nutrena's NatureWise Layer 17% Protein Crumble, as the example.
An egg is built from what she eats
Every egg takes protein for the white and the yolk, fat and vitamins for the yolk, and a lot of calcium for the shell. A laying hen is building a new egg almost every day, so she needs those nutrients steadily, not once in a while. That's the whole job of a complete layer feed. It's balanced so that when it makes up most of what she eats, she has what she needs.
When hens fill up on scratch, bread or table scraps instead, the eggs are usually where you see it first.
What's on the NatureWise Layer 17% tag
From Nutrena's guaranteed analysis for NatureWise Layer 17% Protein Crumble:
- Crude protein: 17% minimum, including lysine (0.75% min) and methionine (0.35% min), two amino acids hens need for egg production.
- Calcium: 3.7% to 3.9%. That's the shell.
- Vitamin D3: 2,500 IU per pound minimum. Hens need D3 to use the calcium they eat.
- Vitamins A and E: 4,000 IU and 20 IU per pound minimums.
- Marigold (Tagetes) extract: in the ingredient list. Feed makers add marigold for yolk color.
- The extras: four probiotic strains, an herbal blend with oregano, thyme, rosemary and star anise oils, and Nutrena's FlockShield blend for digestion.
Nutrena calls the vitamin and calcium package "Egg Essentials." That's the marketing name. The numbers on the tag are what I'd actually look at.
If the shells are thin or soft
Calcium is the usual suspect. Layer feed covers most of what a hen needs, but heavy layers and older hens often want more. That's why Nutrena's directions call for NatureWise Oyster Shell free choice after 16 weeks, in its own dish, so each hen can take what she needs. Don't mix it into the feed.
Summer can play a part, too. Hens eat less when it's hot, and less feed means less calcium going in.
If thin shells come with a hen who seems off...not eating, hunched up, or laying misshapen eggs again and again...call a vet who sees poultry. Feed supports a healthy hen. It doesn't fix a sick one.
If the yolks went pale
Yolk color comes mostly from pigments in what she eats: the marigold in the feed, plus whatever greens and bugs she finds in the yard. Hens that go from free ranging in summer to a bare winter run often lay lighter yolks for a while. A sudden change in color almost always means a change in diet, so look at what's changed. Color is mostly about pigment, so don't judge an egg by the yolk alone.
If there are just fewer eggs
Before you blame the feed, check the calendar. Shorter days slow laying in the fall, and the molt shuts it down for a while. I wrote about that in our post on the fall molt. Age, stress, a predator scare and a broody hen all cut production too.
Then look at the treats. If scratch, scraps and snacks are more than about 10% of what your flock eats, that's the first thing I'd cut back. Every handful of scratch is a handful less of the feed that's balanced for eggs.
How to feed it
- Start chicks on NatureWise Chick Starter Grower 18% Crumble until 16 weeks of age.
- At 16 weeks or the first egg, switch to NatureWise Layer 17% as the sole diet. Mix old and new feed over about a week.
- Don't let the feeder run empty. A laying hen eats about a quarter pound of feed a day, according to the University of Kentucky's poultry extension.
- Offer NatureWise Poultry Grit and oyster shell free choice in separate dishes.
- Keep clean, fresh water out at all times, and clean feeders and waterers regularly.
The same formula comes as NatureWise Layer 17% Protein Pellet. Crumble is easy for pullets coming off chick crumbles. Pellets tend to get scattered and wasted less. The tag is the same, so pick whichever your hens clean up.
Questions we get about layer feed and eggs
Is 17% protein better than a 16% layer feed?
Both are complete layer feeds. The 17% gives a little more protein. Our Nutrena Country Feeds Layer 16% Crumble is the more economical everyday option and works well for plenty of flocks. Compare the tags and see how your hens do.
Do I still need oyster shell if I feed layer feed?
Nutrena's directions say to offer it free choice after 16 weeks. Hens that don't need it mostly leave it alone, so it's cheap insurance against thin shells.
Can my rooster eat layer feed?
Layer feed is built for hens that are laying, with a lot of calcium. Purina's own layer directions say not to feed layer feed to males. If you keep a mixed flock, ask us about an all flock feed with oyster shell on the side for the hens.
Will a better feed make my hens lay more?
No feed can promise more eggs. Daylight, age and the molt matter more than anything in the bag. What a good layer feed does is make sure she isn't short on anything while she's laying.
Getting it to your coop
We keep NatureWise and Country Feeds layer feeds, oyster shell and grit at the store in Farmingdale. Our own trucks deliver them Tuesday through Friday on your town's route day, free with a $20 minimum. See our backyard chicken feed page and farm feed delivery page, or call 732-938-4470. New to chickens? Start with what chickens eat.