Feeding advice for bantams (one broody, one moulting)

[BantamMama]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to bantams and could really use some advice about feeding. I have two hens:

• A 4-year-old bantam who is currently very broody and not laying.
• A 5-year-old bantam who is moulting right now and currently not laying. 

Their previous owner always had layers pellets (which they aren’t interested in) available all day but also gave them a corn/seed mix on the side. I’ve read conflicting things about whether older or non-laying hens should still be on layers pellets, since the extra calcium might not be good for them if they’re not producing eggs. 

I want to make sure they’re getting the right nutrition, especially since one is eating less because she’s broody, and the other needs protein for feather regrowth.

So my questions are:

• Should I keep them on layers pellets, or switch to growers/all-flock feed with oyster shell on the side?
• How much corn/seed mix is appropriate (if any) for bantams that aren’t laying regularly?
• Are there any UK brands you’d recommend that would be better suited to older bantams in this situation?

Any advice or personal experience would be really appreciated. I’m not bothered about getting eggs from them, I just want the best for my girls!

Thanks in advance!

[Beantree]

Our old bantams had layers pellets in their feeder simply because it was easy for us, as that's what the other flocks ate. I've heard the extra Calcium may not be good for them but think that's nonsense- it simply won't be taken up by their system if it isn't required. But we do now feed growers/rearers to the oldies because the protein content is slightly higher and there are a lot of trace elements together with probiotics, without yolk colourants in the growers pellets we buy here (in France). The only grit they sell here is oyster shell, which we don't use because it messes up the Calcium/ Phosphorous balance for laying hens. I bought standard grit over from England 10 years ago and we still have half a bag left. Mixed grain feed is kept to a minimum and only as an early evening scatter fed treat. Too much and they won't eat the pellets before they go to bed and it also has the effect of reducing the overall protein level in their diet. For chickens struggling in a moult we give them a treat of sunflower hearts (with the shell removed) instead. They are very high in protein (40%) which is what they need to grow feathers.

We used to buy Smallholder products in the UK and Garvo (I think that was the name) are apparently excellent as well.